In this year’s State Budget, the State Government is stepping forward to support business, investing in industries that are growing and cutting taxes to drive job creation.

We are doing this while the budget puts us on track to deliver our ninth budget surplus, and forecast further surpluses throughout the forward estimates.

Central to this year’s Budget is the establishment of a $200 million Future Jobs Fund, focusing on five key growth industries: shipbuilding and defence; renewable energy and mining; tourism food and wine; health and biomedical research; and IT and advanced manufacturing.

In partnership with the private sector, the Future Jobs Fund will help South Australian businesses in these fields expand, growing more local job opportunities.

We are supporting businesses to employ more young people, by expanding the successful Job Accelerator Grants program to include an extra payment for new apprentices and trainees.

This program has already helped to create almost 10,000 jobs and we will now offer businesses up to $15,000 for each new apprentice or trainee they employ.

Small businesses account for around 98% of all businesses in South Australia. We want to support them to take the next step and grow.

That’s why we’re delivering further cuts in payroll tax – and locking this in permanently for small business.

Our infrastructure spend - $9.5 billion over four years - will create a great number of opportunities for South Australian businesses. I want South Australian companies, South Australian products and South Australian workers to get the bulk of the benefits from these projects.

The budget fully funds Our Energy Plan which will deliver reliable, affordable and cleaner energy to South Australians.

Fundamentally, this year’s Budget is all about incentivising businesses to create jobs – now and into the future.

To read more about the Budget, please visit www.statebudget.sa.gov.au.

Greek Tribune