The 2024-25 State Budget was handed down on Thursday 6 June, and as it has focused on housing, cost of living relief, jobs and skills, and health we’ve broken down measures directly impacting young people by cost of living, health, housing and education and employment, but we’ve included other things of note below them too.
Each new federal and state budget is an opportunity for governments to make a commitment to address issues people are experiencing. We looked at how young people and the issues they’re experiencing were considered in the areas this budget has focused on.
Cost of living
Of the cost-of-living measures included in this budget, there is $14.1 million over four years to improve access to concessions and $10.6 million over four years to extend public transport concessions.
Improved access will make young people who have previously missed out on ‘per household’ concessions because they live in share houses, including disability accommodation, eligible. It will also expand access to glasses, emergency electricity payment and funeral concessions.
Public transport concessions will be extended to all Health Care Card holders which will benefit young people on ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Austudy, JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment, Special Benefit and Youth Allowance.
Young people should have the same access to concessions as older folk and that is unlikely to happen until decision makers acknowledge the current generational disparity and work with young people to develop supportive policy measures.
Health
Amongst the total health spending of $7.1 billion, there’s $5 million over four years to support youth mental health services, including an expansion of child and adolescent virtual urgent care services, mental health workshops, and to support carers and families of those with eating disorders.
The Unmet Needs Study identified major gaps in support for mental health that mean 19,000 people of all ages are unable to access services across the state. More specifically, the study found immediate need for support and rehabilitation targeted at young people of up to $27 million.
$1.25 million per year represents about 5% of the estimated investment needed to adequately support young people’s mental health and wellbeing so this budget measure does not go far enough to adequately support young people.
Housing
The SA Housing Authority will receive $576 million until 2034-35 for redevelopment of land at Seaton and government owned land at Noarlunga which will deliver an estimated 1,900 dwellings, including 400 social housing and $65.9 million in 2025/26 to meet public housing building commitments from A Better Housing Future.
There is also $135.8 million over five years to build and upgrade approximately 442 new social housing dwellings, $30 million over three years to boost regional housing and $5 million over four years to extend intake for Hutt St Centre’s Aspire homelessness program until 30 June 2027.
For first home buyers, there is $14 million over four years to remove the property value cap (previously $650 000) from the stamp duty exemption for purchasing a new home or vacant land to build a new home.
The majority of young people access housing via the private rental market and while the cost of living allowance will now be available to people living in share houses, the measures in the housing spend are unlikely to have a substantial impact on young people. YACSA reaffirms that the availability of affordable rental housing must be considered a priority by governments.
Education & employment
Mt Gambier High, Le Fevre High and Mt Barker High will share in $38.1 million over four years for required facility upgrades and there’s $155.3 million over five years for the construction of a new secondary school in the Northern suburbs
For higher education there is $275.6 million to increase the number of training places by about 35% to over 160 000 prioritising defence, health, construction, early childhood education, $56.2 million to provide student support and increase completion rates and $53.1 million to increase the VET workforce and develop curriculum.
There’s also $18.3 million for Closing the Gap initiatives that deliver tailored education programs to First Nations students and $9 million to support regional programs connections between students, trainers and employers.
$62.6 million has been assigned to boosting audits and investigations to ensure training providers and employers meet obligations and there’s $13.3 million for state workforce planning and defence pathways program.
There’s also $380 000 over 2 years to expand the SA Young Entrepreneur Scheme to all age groups.
Funding for Closing the Gap initiatives is welcome, as is the 35% increase in the number of training places, but we note that none of these measures are aimed at lessening the financial burden of higher education on young people who are graduating with record debts.
Other notable inclusions for young people:
We’re really glad to see $4.6 million over four years for additional staffing at the Office for the Guardian for Children and Young People to perform statutory functions. The Guardian’s office is responsible for advocating for the rights and best interests of young people who are in care and detention, so being properly funded to undertake their duties is incredibly important.
However it’s disappointing to see that $5.4 million over two years to upgrade security components in the Adelaide Youth Training Centre is only spending around youth justice – especially as the Government have consulted on raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility and additional diversion programs require investment. As always, we would have liked to see investment in community-led programs and services that keep young people safe, supported and out of the youth justice system altogether.
There is also $2.6 million over four years for early intervention and prevention of youth violence within African South Australian communities, including supporting the African Communities Council of South Australia to deliver community programs.
Within transport spending there is $5 million to complete planning for bus and depot infrastructure to transition to zero-emissions public transport bus fleet and $2 million to fund planning studies to support transition to zero-emissions public transport rail fleet. Arts spending also includes $720 000 for the construction of permanent pavilions for Mt Gambier Generations in Jazz, the annual jazz festival for young jazz musicians.
To summarise
We’re just going to say what we said last year - this budget does little to address intergenerational inequality particularly in the context of the current cost of living and rental crises. This generation of young people will be the first to be worse off than their parents and State and Federal governments have the power to do something about that. The 2024-25 State Budget is another missed opportunity to do so.
