Big spending in South Australia's 2021 state budget – but can the government survive an election fought on health?
3 years, 9 months ago

Big spending in South Australia's 2021 state budget – but can the government survive an election fought on health?

ABC  

Rob Lucas says his "lucky last" budget is not "a pre-election splurge", but a "responsible" financial plan for the state as it moves through the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Lucas stressed South Australia was "not going to go down the Labor option" like the Victorian Government did in its most recent state budget. "This budget is not going to fix the health crisis – it's going to make it worse," he said. The state government's plans for an indoor city stadium are "locked and loaded" with $78 million of funding allocated to planning and early works – but none of that will happen until after the next election.

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History of this topic

A year after the government halved psychology subsidies, Australians are delaying or foregoing treatment
1 year, 2 months ago

A year after the government halved psychology subsidies, Australians are delaying or foregoing treatment

ABC  

Since rebates for psychology sessions were halved a year ago, the cost of living crisis has forced Australians to compromise and even forego critical mental health care. Psychologist rebates halved for mental health patients Photo shows Mark Butler frowns at a press conference Subsidised visits to psychologists will be halved within weeks, with the new federal government abandoning a program …

Queensland budget handed down by Treasurer Cameron Dick, health the big winner with coal royalties increasing
2 years, 9 months ago

Queensland budget handed down by Treasurer Cameron Dick, health the big winner with coal royalties increasing

ABC  

Record coal prices will see mining companies face a hike to royalty rates, as the Queensland government touts major spending for the health system in the state budget. Handing down his third budget today, Treasurer Cameron Dick also revealed big businesses would be hit with a mental health levy on payroll tax, while funding has been allocated to build new, …

SA government hands down its post-election budget, with plenty of pledges to pay for
2 years, 9 months ago

SA government hands down its post-election budget, with plenty of pledges to pay for

ABC  

South Australia's new Labor government is still firmly in the honeymoon phase, and establishing trust is a must in any new relationship. "We are delivering on every single one of the election commitments we made at the last election," Stephen Mullighan proclaimed on Thursday ahead of handing down his first budget as Treasurer. Thursday's budget allocated an additional $2.4 billion …

Mental health funding plan stalled over fight between state and federal governments
3 years ago

Mental health funding plan stalled over fight between state and federal governments

ABC  

Critical support for an increasing number of Australians with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression has stalled, as the states and federal government argue about the details of a multi-billion-dollar funding plan promised more than a year ago. Key points: States and territories have still not agreed on a national mental health plan that was meant to be finalised …

Experts warn there is 'no quick fix' to ramping problem putting South Australian lives at risk
3 years ago

Experts warn there is 'no quick fix' to ramping problem putting South Australian lives at risk

ABC  

Marina Obbiettivo's family find it difficult to express the devastation caused by her sudden death. Key points: Marina Obbiettivo died from a heart attack in August The ambulance should have arrived at her Myrtle Bank home in 16 minutes but it took half an hour Experts say ramping has been getting worse in SA over the past decade The "lively, …

Will COVID cases and restrictions shape the outcome of South Australia's 2022 election?
3 years, 1 month ago

Will COVID cases and restrictions shape the outcome of South Australia's 2022 election?

ABC  

Politics has often been branded a numbers game, be it on the floor of parliamentary chambers, within party rooms or across the broader electorate. But the outcome of next month's South Australian election could be shaped by how voters react to other numbers — the number of new daily COVID cases and the number of restrictions people are living with. …

Patients put at 'high clinical risk' as ramping and patient surge hit South Australian health system
3 years, 5 months ago

Patients put at 'high clinical risk' as ramping and patient surge hit South Australian health system

ABC  

There were no ambulances for 17 high-priority emergencies in Adelaide's southern suburbs last night, putting patients at "high clinical risk", according to the paramedics union. "Until the Marshall Liberal government resolves these core capacity issues, we will continue to see ramping and delayed ambulance responses in the community." In June, Premier Steven Marshall said the state budget would "definitely" fix …

South Australian election 2022: Six big questions six months out from polling day
3 years, 6 months ago

South Australian election 2022: Six big questions six months out from polling day

ABC  

South Australians are now six months from their next trip to the polls with the lead-up, unsurprisingly, expected to be dominated by the pandemic. No Australian state or territory government has lost office in the five elections held since the pandemic broke out last year — a trend the ruling Liberal Party hopes will continue. South Australia's COVID-19 Transition Committee, …

Tasmanian budget 2021 reveals injection of extra $900m into health as state faces rising debt
3 years, 6 months ago

Tasmanian budget 2021 reveals injection of extra $900m into health as state faces rising debt

ABC  

Tasmania's finances will remain in the red for longer than expected as an extra $900 million is injected into the state's struggling health system, the government's eighth state budget reveals. Key points: Peter Gutwein's eighth budget has Tasmania returning to the black in 2023-24 The budget includes $10.7 billion for health over the next four years The COVID-19 pandemic remains …

South Australian state budget spends big on health, construction and education, records $1.78 billion deficit
3 years, 9 months ago

South Australian state budget spends big on health, construction and education, records $1.78 billion deficit

ABC  

Big spending on construction, a mental health plan to try to address an overflowing public health system and a cost for the new Women's and Children's Hospital are key features of this year's pre-election state budget. Key points: $1.95 billion has been allocated for the new Women's and Children's Hospital The completion of the North-South Corridor will cost $9.9 billion …

Why mental health treatment can be too expensive for those who need it most
5 years ago

Why mental health treatment can be too expensive for those who need it most

ABC  

When Sarah Bryan quit her job after her mental health spiralled, she withdrew $20,000 from her superannuation account to pay for her mental healthcare costs and living expenses. In November, the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System interim report found a disproportionate number of people with mental health issues have a low income. ': Alarm sounded on youth mental …

Thousands of mental health patient transfers show need for more clinicians in rural Australia, researchers say
5 years, 6 months ago

Thousands of mental health patient transfers show need for more clinicians in rural Australia, researchers say

ABC  

Imagine being in the throes of an acute mental health episode and having to travel to an unfamiliar place, thousands of kilometres from family and friends, for life-saving treatment. Key points: A study has found 2,257 patients were transferred by the RFDS between 2014 and 2017 for mental or behavioural disorders Sixty-two per cent of the patients were men and …

SA budget 2018: Scathing diagnosis of health cuts, TAFE closures and rent price hike
6 years, 6 months ago

SA budget 2018: Scathing diagnosis of health cuts, TAFE closures and rent price hike

ABC  

Doctors have delivered a scathing diagnosis following yesterday's South Australian budget — with surgeons set to share in the hip-pocket pain. Business SA chief executive Nigel McBride congratulated the Government on starting the process of cutting a public sector that was "larger and more expensive than any other public sector in mainland Australia". "This budget reflects the Treasurer's long-standing obsession …

South Australia's budget slides back into deficit
6 years, 10 months ago

South Australia's budget slides back into deficit

ABC  

South Australia's budget will slide back into deficit this financial year, with Treasurer Rob Lucas blaming the return to red on the poor financial management of the former Labor government. Mr Lucas told the ABC it would be "impossible" for the state's finances to remain balanced, despite former treasurer Tom Koutsantonis predicting a slim $12 million surplus in the Mid-Year …

Tasmanian budget 2017: What we know so far
7 years, 10 months ago

Tasmanian budget 2017: What we know so far

ABC  

Tasmanian Treasurer Peter Gutwein will hand down his fourth state budget on Thursday, a document which shapes how government funds will be spent in Tasmania over the next financial year and beyond. The centrepiece is a $25-million youth employment strategy, which includes $17 million to provide payroll tax incentives to businesses that employ a trainee or apprentice. Health Minister Michael …

Budget 2015: Health, pensioner concession cuts outweigh any revenue for SA, State Treasurer says
9 years, 10 months ago

Budget 2015: Health, pensioner concession cuts outweigh any revenue for SA, State Treasurer says

ABC  

Federal cuts to health, education and pensioner concessions outweigh any revenue the South Australian Government will receive from the 2015 budget, the State Treasurer says. SA expecting 'tsunami of job losses' Independent Senator for South Australia Nick Xenophon said the federal budget was an improvement on last year's and "couldn't possibly be any worse". Infrastructure delayed by 2015 budget Mr …

Mental health patients 'overlooked' in SA Government's Transforming Health paper
10 years, 1 month ago

Mental health patients 'overlooked' in SA Government's Transforming Health paper

ABC  

There are concerns mental health patients have been overlooked in the South Australian Government's health system shake-up with doctors describing conditions as "inhumane" for those spending days in emergency departments. "It's part of our health system which is failing to deliver for very unwell mental health patients," Dr Pope said. He said "horrendous and inhumane" conditions in the emergency department …

South Australia budget: Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis 'covers federal cuts', emergency levy to rise
10 years, 9 months ago

South Australia budget: Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis 'covers federal cuts', emergency levy to rise

ABC  

South Australians will feel the pain from the state budget in a sharp rise in the annual Emergency Services Levy. Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis says pensioners and concession card holders will be exempt from the rise in the levy. Key points: Emergency Services Levy to rise, up $150 for a property valued at $400,000 Levy on vehicles will rise by $8 …

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