Federal Budget handed down, high river flow advice, major event milestones & more...
Funding for roads, a commitment to help clear the backlog of visa applications and helping small business attract workers are some of the key announcements from last night’s Federal Budget.
Key points include:
- An investment in fee-free TAFE and vocational education places, delivering 480,000 over four years, which may help fill skills gaps. As a first step, a $1 billion agreement with the states and territories will provide 180,000 places next year.
- Additional funding of $42.2 million to accelerate visa processing, reduce the visa backlog and raise awareness of opportunities for migrants.
- A focus on infrastructure, including for priority road and rail projects. The budget includes $60 million towards constructing the $120 million Majors Road interchange with the Southern Expressway, $200 million towards a $400 million project that will remove two level crossings where the Glenelg tramline crosses Marion Road and Cross Road, and a new $400 million fund to upgrade key freight routes including the Dukes, Stuart and Augusta highways.
- A further round of the Mobile Black Spot Program will improve coverage in more than 50 selected locations across Australia.
- Funding of $145.3 million was also allocated to Austrade and Tourism Australia for targeted marketing to accelerate international tourist arrivals, to enhance tourism data collection and to support travel businesses.
For more details, view the Federal Budget papers.
It comes as we count down to some major events, including the ICC Men's T20 World Cup coming to Adelaide next month, the new Harvest Rock two-day music festival, the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant back on the streets and the return of the VALO Adelaide 500.
We had a huge win in the draw selection for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, and celebrated new data which shows our CBD is leading the nation’s recovery, and we’re just days away from welcoming the first cruise ship to Adelaide and Port Lincoln in more than two and a half years.
We’re monitoring closely the high river flows currently being experienced in the Murray River. The SATC is on a State Government cross-agency working group, and a key focus for us on that group, is ensuring that visitor advice is carefully managed.
The current advice is that it is safe to visit the Murray River regions, and while that remains in place, we want to make sure this is widely communicated.
The SATC is working with the Tourism Industry Council of SA (TiCSA), and with Destination Riverland and the Murray River, Lakes & Coorong Tourism Alliance, to provide industry and potential visitors with accurate and timely information and advice.
High river flows help keep the river environment healthy, strong and sustainable – and bring benefits such as regeneration, waterbird and native fish breeding, and it fills the many backwaters and tributaries along the river.
Travel advice is available on our consumer-facing website, southaustralia.com, and we will continue to keep this updated.
Stephanie Rozokos
Chief Executive