Shadow Treasurer Rob Lucas said today that the Federal Budget included massive
increases in Federal funding to South Australia next year and each year of the
forward estimates.
Total Federal payments to SA next year will actually be $1,137 million more than this year
and by 2018-19 total payments will be $1,756 million more than this year.
These total Federal payments include GST payments and specific purpose payments for areas such as schools and hospitals. GST payments can be spent in any area at the discretion of the State Government.
15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19
Specific purpose payments($m) 3315 3925 4195 3937
General revenue 5573 6101 6399 6707
Total payments 8888 10025 10594 10644
A comparison of these Budget figures with the last Federal estimates included in their December 2015 MYEFO update also show a massive increase in funding to South Australia:
Increased Federal funds (Budget cf MYEFO)
2016/17 $96m
2017/18 $547m
2018/19 $509m
Total increase $1152m
This means simply that the Weatherill Government will have $1152m more to spend over the
next 3 years than it would have expected based on the figures outlined in the
December MYEFO.
This increased funding comes in addition to a continued Federal funding commitment to the upgrading of South Road as well as the recent submarine and shipbuilding commitments which will provide long term benefits for South Australia.