Exclusive poll: SA urges a debt-fuelled big build to dig us out of the COVID recession, backs tunnels to finally finish South Rd
No money? No problem. SA has turned its back on the debt bogeyman and wants a new infrastructure big build to save us from COVID, an exclusive Advertiser-YouGov poll finds.
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Voters are urging Premier Steven Marshall to splurge on infrastructure in the coming State Budget, even if it means a debt blowout, and build our way back from the COVID recession.
An exclusive Advertiser-YouGov poll also finds tunnels are the popular pick to finally finish the South Rd freeway, and preferred over a Torrens to Torrens-style widening at the surface.
The poll results expose a dramatic shift in the community’s view towards government debt and deficit, as a time when budgets are awash in historic amounts of red ink.
SA’s budget debt already stands at about $14 billion, more than after the State Bank collapse.
An update last year forecast today’s debt burden to grow to $22.2 billion by 2023.
However, Treasurer Rob Lucas now says debt is likely to top $30 billion due to the COVID response.
Both this year and next year, the government expects to spend $2 billion more than it earns.
The poll finds that 60 per cent of respondents want the focus of the November 10 State Budget to be stimulating the economy by building more infrastructure, even if it means more debt.
Just 28 per cent say it is more important to contain debt and restrict new spending.
The poll also shows a remarkable consensus in favour of debt across the political spectrum.
Both intending Liberals and Labor voters are 64 per cent in favour of spending up big.
Completing the South Rd freeway, by removing traffic lights in the remaining built-up sections surrounding Anzac Hwy, is planned as the biggest public infrastructure project in SA’s history.
No firm price has been put on it, but informed estimates suggest a cost above $10 billion.
The new Royal Adelaide Hospital, the most expensive public project that SA delivered, cost $2.4 billion. Adelaide Oval’s upgrade came with a $610 million price tag.
Mr Lucas says the Government is considering two options for completing South Rd, which could take a decade to deliver. They are tunnels, or road widening on the surface.
A single tunnel stretching the entire 10.5km route beneath Edwardstown and Torrensville is supported by 32 per cent of poll respondents when asked for a firm choice.
Twin tunnels, with cars returning to the surface around Anzac Hwy, is backed by 46 per cent.
Repeating a Torrens to Torrens-type road-widening build gets just 22 per cent support.
The concept of a single tunnel is losing support in senior levels of government, amid concerns about how it could be effectively designed while allowing local turn-offs and exits.
The poll is of 810 respondents, and was taken in the week leading to last Wednesday.
Mr Marshall has said that the coming state budget will include new stimulus, and insists that the Government has already been a national leader in launching local job-building projects.
Even before the pandemic, Mr Marshall had committed to a $12.9 billion infrastructure plan that includes large commitments to school and hospital upgrades as well as country roads.
However, he has been accused of failing to deliver promises on mega projects like the new Woman’s and Children’s Hospital, or South Rd freeway, quickly enough to meet deadlines.
Mr Lucas has also baulked at calls for a covered second city stadium or arena to host soccer, basketball, concerts and expos.
He says it could cost $1.3 billion and take too long to plan.
He has said the Government is actively considering options for infrastructure stimulus that can be delivered rapidly to support and create jobs, as well as lowering the cost of business.
Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said Mr Marshall must accelerate work on projects that had already been promised and get them “off the ground as soon as possible”.
Last week, the ABS revealed SA again has the highest unemployment rate in the nation.
Despite adding a massive 13,500 jobs in August, SA was unable to create enough work to satisfy the 14,100 more people who also started looking at the same time.
The left SA’s jobless rate stuck at 7.9 per cent. The national average plummeted to 6.8 per cent at in the same month, with ongoing concerns about the effect of a JobKeeper wind-down.
There are now 841,200 people employed in SA. That is up from 819,100 in April, and 827,700 in July, as lockdowns crippled the economy and consumer confidence.
In March, before COVID peaked, there were a near-record 856,300 people with jobs in SA.