The state opposition has raised its concern over the future of the new Women's and Children's Hospital project, with budget papers revealing the timeline for its completion has been pushed back at least a year.
The hospital is now listed for 'estimated completion' in the September quarter of 2027.
Previous budgets had the date listed as June 2026.
Meanwhile, a $400 million expansion of the Flinders Medical Centre announced ahead of the federal election is listed as opening in the quarter of April-June 2029.
Just last week, Health Minister Chris Picton said the Flinders expansion would be finished in 2028.
"We see now in the budget papers released yesterday that this won't be completed until not the eve of the next state election but the eve of the election beyond that," Opposition Leader David Speirs said today.
Spruiking a promised expansion of the Mount Barker Hospital this morning, Health Minister Chris Picton said he stood by the date for the Flinders expansion and he hoped many of the beds would be open well before it was completely finished.
"Sometimes the exact dates in that portfolio statement of the budget papers are when the final initial completion of those projects is completed, but we're still on track for 2028 in terms of that project," he said.
On the new Women's and Children's Hospital, Mr Picton said the new government was reviewing where the project was up to.
"To look at whether there were any other options in terms of sites that might be considered, and they [the reviewers] are going to be providing us advice within the next few weeks because we want to make sure that this is a project that delivers for the long term for South Australia," Mr Picton said.
"There's clear issues with regards to future expansion capacity for both the women's and kids' and the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
"There's issues in terms of timing and costs and we need to get account of all these issues now so we can make the best decisions."
Staffing boost 'not enough'
Treasurer Stephen Mullighan announced $2.4 billion in new health spending in yesterday's budget.
By the end of the government's first term in 2026, it plans to employ 350 new paramedics and ambulance officers, 100 more doctors and 300 more nurses, serving 326 extra hospital beds.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Elizabeth Dabars said between 3,000 and 4,000 nurses would actually be needed to support those over the next four years.
She said it was already difficult to recruit staff or even get them to apply for jobs.
She called for the government to develop a workplace plan around health, including looking at training more nurses locally.
"Put in place a workforce plan that's fully funded to train, support and supervise staff into the system," Ms Dabars said.
The Treasurer admitted it would be a challenge to recruit even the staff promised.
"It certainly will be a challenge to recruit them all, but we think an achievable challenge," Mr Mullighan said.
"We think the commitment we've made to additional nurses, the most of those will be required to staff those new hospital beds that we are bringing on stream."
Schools to take on students earlier
The budget also allocated more than $72 million over the next three years towards reintroducing a mid-year intake for public schools and preschools.
From next year, preschool students will be able to start in term two and by 2024 there will be a mid-year primary school intake.
Private schools already offer mid-year intakes, which has attracted parents to send their children there rather than using childcare.
South Australian Primary Principals Association president Angela Falkenberg said her organisation had not been consulted about the move.
However, she said it would give parents more choice, which they had been after.
"That's certainly been a request, because for some children they're starting school prior to be being five — for some they're after five — so certainly for many parents, they were making choices about which school they went to based on what was convenient for them," she said.
Seniors get free public transport
The budget included $5.2 million for free public transport for Seniors Card holders at all times from July 1, instead of just during non-peak hours.
Council on the Ageing in South Australia chief executive Jane Mussared said it would be good for people on fixed incomes.
"This now puts public transport much more on the map," she said.
"It's now a good free option for people on the Seniors Card and it encourages us to leave the car at home."
Several callers to ABC Radio Adelaide asked whether the balances they hold on their metroCARD would be refunded since they would not need the money after the measure comes in.
After initially erring on whether this would be possible, Mr Mullighan sent a text message to ABC Radio Adelaide Breakfast host Stacey Lee saying the money would be refunded.
