Quick guide: What the State Budget means for you

The state government has handed down its 2026-27 budget. But what does it mean for young South Aussies? We take a look.

The State Budget was handed down yesterday, which means you may have heard a lot of big numbers flying around.

Basically, the budget is the government’s blueprint for how our money will be spent – from schools and hospitals to housing, roads, jobs and events.

But what’s in it that matters to young South Australians? Let’s take a look.

First home buyers in front of their new home. — The budget’s $2.5 billion housing package is aimed at making it easier to buy your first home in SA.

Housing help

The budget includes a $2.5 billion housing package aimed at getting more homes built, helping more South Australians into home ownership and supporting the construction workforce needed to make it happen.

One of the major initiatives is the Rent to Own scheme, which will deliver 2000 new homes over eight years.

Under the scheme, eligible South Australians can move into a new home and pay rent at 75 per cent of the market rate for up to two years, with the option to buy the property by the end of the lease term. The purchase price is locked in at the start of the rental period, which means buyers are protected from further property price increases during that time.

Playford Alive, where 400 homes will be built exclusively for first homebuyers by the end of 2027 — 400 homes will be built exclusively for first homebuyers at Playford Alive.

The budget also includes:

$50 million for enabling infrastructure to fast-track 400 homes at Playford Alive, built exclusively for first homebuyers by the end of 2027
$7 million over four years to establish a Portable Rental Bonds Scheme, so renters moving house can transfer their existing bond to their new rental property
Expanded HomeStart Finance options, including higher income eligibility thresholds for some low-deposit loans, broadening shared equity loans to multi-storey apartment purchases, and extending graduate loan to include firefighters, police and all Technical College graduates.

And for victims of domestic, family and sexual violence, the budget includes a new scheme offering 100 per cent stamp duty relief and, for eligible new homes or vacant land contracts, access to the First Home Owner Grant – even if they’ve previously owned a home.

Pharmacist at 24-hour pharmacy in Adelaide dispencing script to customer. — There’s $13.2 million in the budget for three more 24-hour pharmacies.

Health and mental health

This is a big budget for health, including:

$28 million over four years for specialised mental health assessment units, with the first at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, next to the emergency department, for people experiencing a mental health or drug and alcohol crisis.
$13.2 million over four years to establish three more 24-hour pharmacies in the west, north-east and Adelaide Hills.

$10 million over four years to support five GP clinics to establish specialised women’s health clinics, offering services including endometriosis and pelvic pain management, contraceptive implant services, plus pregnancy and fertility support.
$4.6 million over four years to establish South Australia’s first Virtual Pelvic Pain Clinic and launch an endometriosis public health campaign.
$350,000 over two years to train an extra 100 GPs to diagnose and prescribe medication for ADHD, doubling the number of specially trained GPs in South Australia.
SA’s first IVF rebate scheme: Eligible applicants will be able to access a $2000 rebate per IVF cycle for up to two cycles, plus a $250 rebate for pre-IVF fertility testing.

Three South Australian kids at a public school laughing and talking together. — From the start of 2027, public school will be fee-free in South Australia.

Cost-of-living help for families

For families with school-aged kids, one of the biggest changes in the budget is fee-free public school.

From the 2027 school year, public education will be free from Reception to Year 12, saving families of non-school card students an average of more than $8000 per child across their schooling.

There’s also $76 million over four years for measures aimed at keeping kids off screens by making sport, camps and extracurricular activities more affordable.

That includes:

Free school camps for all Year 7 public school students
One free term of before or after-school activities in public schools
Free “come and try” sessions during school holidays
Expanding the Sports Vouchers Plus program to include 16 to 18-year-olds from 1 January 2027, supporting an extra 18,000 young people each year

Out of school hours care will also get an expansion, with $45.5 million over four years to establish OSHC services at 68 government primary schools across the state. That’s expected to create about 2300 extra OSHC places.

A young woman in a tradie's uniform and safety goggles at work on site. — Three new technical colleges are on the way for young South Austalians to learn in-demand trades.

Jobs, skills and the future economy

In good news for anyone training for their first job or a mid-career shift, the budget also focuses on the skills South Australians will need to fill jobs in the years ahead.

There’s $150 million over four years to build and run three new technical colleges, including one regional campus in Murray Bridge and two metropolitan campuses in Marden and Gawler.

The budget also includes:

A new $50 million Research and Development Productivity Fund to support high-impact research programs and help turn university research into commercial outcomes
$29.5 million to create 1000 new pathways into the construction workforce through apprentice training, industry partnerships and scholarships
$26.8 million over five years to build South Australia’s AUKUS skills workforce, supporting more than 1000 new university, trade and upskilling opportunities
$25.5 million for a new multi-trade vocational training workshop at TAFE SA Mount Barker, supporting up to 1200 additional apprentices in electrical, plumbing and carpentry

State ceremony for the First Nations Voice to Parliament, 26 March 2023. — A Truth-Telling Commission will be led by First Nations leaders and work to acknowledge and recognise the history and experiences of First Nations South Australians, in preparation for a Treaty.

Truth-telling and treaty work

The budget includes $8.5 million over four years to establish a Truth-Telling Commission and progress treaty work with First Nations South Australians. The Commission will be led by First Nations leaders and work to acknowledge and recognise the history and experiences of First Nations South Australians.

It follows South Australia becoming the first Australian jurisdiction to form a state-based Voice to Parliament, and the state’s First Nations Voice calling for treaty in its 2025 annual address.

Young South Australian filling his car with fuel and looking worried. — There’s $40 million in the budget to secure a strategic reserve of up to 20 million litres of diesel, boosting SA’s fuel security.

Getting around, sport and culture

If you catch public transport, there’s a temporary fare freeze. Metropolitan public transport fares will stay at 2025-26 levels until at least 1 October 2026. In addition, the metroCARD zone will be expanded to Murray Bridge, making it cheaper for those travelling to Adelaide from Murray Bridge.

The budget also includes $7 million for a new Park ’n’ Ride at Torrens Park railway station, $3.5 million for a battery-powered passenger train trial on the Belair rail line and $6.6 million to improve public transport services in Murray Bridge.

There’s also $100 million for a new State Gymnastics Centre, $49.3 million towards the new State Arts Media Hub at Tapangka, and an extra $1.5 million over four years for Adelaide Fringe.

Want the details? For more information, and to view the State Budget papers, click here.