The state government has promised to cut school fees for parents, as the South Australian Labor Party announces its site for the proposed hydrogen power station.
Premier Steven Marshall visited a family in the marginal seat of King this morning to spruik a $100 reduction in the Materials and Services Charge that parents who send their children to public schools pay.
The $24 million cost of the promise would come from the existing Department for Education budget.
Families with multiple children could save hundreds of dollars, the Premier said.
"This is going to mean more money in the pocket of South Australian families so that they can spend it on the things that are important to them," he said.
"… It's part of our overall initiative to lower costs for families — for businesses in South Australia — and that is of course why we have a strong and growing economy."
Refunds would be offered to parents who had already paid the full fee this school year.
Education Minister John Gardner also announced ageing transportable classrooms at state schools would be replaced under a $39 million program.
It will see 20 schools around the state get new classrooms in the first stage of a four-year program.
"They are the oldest transportable and other buildings that weren't designed to be in the schools for as long as they are and they've been identified as the schools in the highest need of modernising their learning areas," he said.
The government also promised to double the fuel subsidy for country patients travelling to receive health care from 16 cents to 32 cents per kilometre through the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme.
Power plant location announced
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said Whyalla was the best site for the $593 million power plant, electrolyser and storage facility it promised last year, because of its established workforce of diversified skills in heavy industry.
It also has access to a deepwater port and railways.
Mr Malinauskas said Labor would appoint an expert panel to report in 90 days on the best location in or near the city for the plant, if elected on March 19.
"We believe this needs to get underway. We're serious about this," he said.
Treasurer Rob Lucas said the hydrogen plant would not mean South Australians were paying less for their power.
"This is a crazy idea," he said.
"What Labor's doing is instead of spending $600 million on a Riverbank Arena which actually generates a net profit of $15 million a year, they want to spend the same amount of money on a hydrogen plant which even Mr Malinauskas concedes won't reduce power prices."
Labor has promised to put the money the Liberals want to put into the arena into the health system instead.
The government announced last year that it would contribute $2.5 million towards a study into the viability of a hydrogen electrolyser worth $750 million for Port Pirie.
Labor also announced today it would spend $8.7 million on courses for trades where there is a shortage of workers, along with $1 million for a program to educate school students on the benefits of pursuing a trade.
Treatment travel scheme increased
Meanwhile, the government has promised, if re-elected, to double a travel subsidy available to regional residents who need to go to Adelaide for treatment.
Under the current rules, eligible patients are reimbursed 16 cents per kilometre of travel, but that would increase to 32 cents.
Reimbursements for accommodation would not change.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said the issue has been raised repeatedly by regional communities.
"Support for petrol for road transport was a recurring theme," he said.
"If that's the will of the South Australian people, it'll be an early action for the government."
