Bell’s report card for 2023-24 Budget

Yahl Primary School collects windfall in South Australian Government’s Budget

Three million dollars for Yahl Primary School is the biggest ticket item in the South Australian Government’s recent State Budget for the electorate of Mount Gambier.

Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell welcomed that windfall and was also supportive of the new stamp duty policy but did have a level of disappointment that the vast infrastructure spend had been injected into metropolitan projects when he believed road infrastructure and telecommunications in this region needed a financial boost.

“It is exciting news that Yahl Primary School has secured $3 million funding to upgrade its ageing facilities,” Mr Bell said. “As a small school in a regional area the upgrades will allow this school to continue to provide excellent educational opportunities for children in that community. Congratulations to the schools Governing Council and their Chairperson Brad Crisp together with Principal Chris Morrison who have been advocating and fundraising for these upgrades.”

The Member for Mount Gambier had been involved in discussions with local real estate agents, including Key2Sale’s Al Lamond, regarding stamp duty policy and so the new parameters were a welcome addition to the 2023-24 State financial blueprint.

“I do love the stamp duty being abolished for first home buyers – it will allow first home buyers to compete,” Mr Bell said.

The 2023-24 State Budget abolishes stamp duty for first home buyers that purchase a new home valued up to $650,000, or vacant land valued up to $400,000 to build a new home, in a move designed to help more South Australians into home ownership while boosting supply of new homes in the housing market.

In addition, the budget retains the existing First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) and increases its property value cap from $575,000 to $650,000. The FHOG is available to eligible first home buyers who build or buy a new home.

Together, these measures mean eligible first home buyers who build or buy a new home valued up to $650,000 will now receive up to almost $30,000 in stamp duty relief as well as a FHOG payment of $15,000, bringing total relief from the state government up to $44,580.

It’s estimated the measures, which will cost $147.3 million over four years, will benefit 3800 first home buyers a year.

Given the sugar hit of $130million to this region in the last budget, delivering on election promises, Mr Bell admitted he did not expect huge funding commitments to this region but he was concerned about the neglect of road infrastructure and telecommunications.

“We have to acknowledge that $130 million in the last budget and we are still working through those developments, including the technical college, upgrades to the hospital – they have been budgeted for but not delivered yet,” he said.

“My disappointment in the budget is the big infrastructure spend is in Adelaide again and I am disappointed more road infrastructure in the Lower South East was not funded and really the one we need to keep pushing is the proposal from Telstra for complete coverage in this area.”

That proposal was a $5million ask from State Government coffers, with Telstra funding 25 per cent of the proposal, the Federal Government tipping in 50 per cent and local councils picking up around 5 percent of the upgrade cost.

Mr Bell did temper his criticism as he threw his support behind the $194million for flood affected areas in the Riverland.

“I accept and I understand why that flood assistance is necessary and a totally understandable big ticket item in the budget,” he said.