The South Australian State Budget 2026-2027 reveals the influence of a government without any political opposition, according to industry executives.
The budget forecasts a $223 million operating surplus and projects $1.4 billion in total operating excess over the forward estimates.
Showpony managing director Jamie Scott told AdNews that there will need to be sufficient advertising for South Australians to understand why the budget went where it did.
“It’s very friendly to working families, particularly women,” Scott told AdNews.
“There’s money for after school care, school infrastructure, health (more money for hospitals to increase capacity), an IVF rebate program and the major focus on a response to the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.
“The signature piece is the $673.6 million over 10 years responding to the Royal Commission, with $182.8 million going to SA Police.
“This is big. Like the social media ban, this is nation leading legislation that the SA government is introducing."
Education will get $210 million over six years for redevelopment and upgrades of public schools, including $87 million for a redevelopment of Mount Barker High School, $150 million for three new technical colleges at Murray Bridge, Marden and Gawler.
There will also be $76 million over four years for one free school camp for all year 7 students, $65 million over six years for student support programs, $45.5 million over four years to expand Out of Hours School Care services at 68 government primary schools, $26.8 million over five years to build AUKUS skills and $25.5 million to expand TAFE in Mount Barker.
Last year, South Australia passed a legislation to criminalise coercive control. The laws make controlling behaviours in intimate partner relationships a standalone offense, carrying a maximum penalty of 7 years in prison.
Scott said there will need to be a massive education and comms program that needs to go with the new laws and budget.
"The public don’t know what coercive control is, let alone that it’s now an offence," Scott said.
“Some of the new programs will also need comms support - police recruiting, health funding, IVF rebates and of course, the new laws around violence against women.
“The public don’t like the government spending money on advertising but in the absence of a program to educate, people won’t know what the new laws mean to them.
"As everyone in our industry knows, the reality is though that comms can do a lot of the heavy lifting around changing public attitudes and behaviour.
“It’s going to be an interesting 12 months from a government that has just won a massive mandate to do whatever they think is good for the state and has little in the way of opposition at the moment.”
For housing, $1.3 billion will go to 2,000 rent-to-own homes, $500 million for a Housing Fast-Track Fund and Apartment Fast-Track Fund, $140 million to renovate 300 vacant Housing Trust homes and Concessions worth $77 million over the next five years to waive stamp duty for downsizers.
$50 million will also enable infrastructure to accelerate construction of 400 houses for first home-buyers in Munno Para, $29.5 million for a Housing Skills Package for scholarships, apprenticeships and industry partnerships and $7 million over four years to establish a Portable Rental Bonds Scheme.
For the cost of living, $174 million over four years to abolish fees at public schools, $15 million over two years for the rollout of community batteries and $11.7 million for expanding Adelaide Metro services.
Jarvis Marketing and OMD Adelaide managing director Mark Elsdon said that while there is some good policy to boost housing and health, the cost-of-living pressures continue to challenge the household budget and general state of confidence.
“Unfortunately, not much immediate joy for Business or Consumer confidence. This translates to a continued soft period for ad spending,” Elsdon said.
“Funding of some important long-term infrastructure projects that we won’t see benefits for some years is a challenge for debt and immediate support."
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