The South Australian State Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis handed down his first budget on 19th June 2014.
This budget was in part at least a response to the significant Federal Government cuts to education and health announced in the Federal budget. As the last Labor State government in the nation, the Treasurer made no secret of where he thought the cause of some of the budget's more difficult measures lay.
The budget announced an increase to the Emergency Services Levy though the removal of some general remissions that had been in place (i.e. concessions offered to certain segments of the community, such as pensioners) and provisions to introduce the previously announced Transport Development Levy on parking spaces in the Adelaide CBD.
It was also announced that the Motor Accident Commission's monopoly on third party insurance premiums would be stripped away. While not technically privatisation, this measure will allow the Government to access up to $1 billion in surplus reserves.
One positive new measure was the introduction of a Seniors Housing Grant, which will pay eligible seniors (those aged over 60) up to $8,500 towards the cost of a new home used as a principle place of residence. Conditions apply, and the grant will begin to phase out for properties valued at over $400,000, disappearing altogether for properties valued at over $450,000.
You can read more in the official Budget Papers available here.