South Australians will be better protected with the Malinauskas Labor Government allocating $395 million in the 2025-26 State Budget across police, road safety, the courts system and our correctional facilities.
This budget provides the largest boost to police funding in the state's history.
The budget provides $172 million over six years (including $69.8 million to 2028-29) to recruit an additional 208 sworn police officers by 2028-29, and a further 83 by 2030-31 above the attrition rate.
The target is to reach a record 5,000 sworn officers over the next six years.
This will reaffirm South Australia as having the highest number of sworn police per capita of any state.
A further $29.6 million will be provided over three years for the expansion of the successful Police Security Officer (PSO) model into regional areas, with an additional 98 PSOs.
When combined with the $9.7 million workforce civilianisation model, these two initiatives will enable more sworn officers to return to frontline duties.
SA Police will accelerate recruitment drives over the next three years with $12 million for more campaigns and to increase the number of Academy courses.
The budget includes provisions for future SA Police infrastructure requirements including property storage, business unit accommodation and station facilities.
Additional new police related commitments include:
- $31.1 million over four years to improve essential infrastructure to ensure police have the facilities and equipment they need
- $17.8 million over four years to double the police motorcycle capacity with an additional 33 sworn police officers
- $6.8 million over four years to replace the pistols used by SA Police
- $5.9 million over three years to support sustainment and security work at the State Communications Centre building
- $2 million over two years for the implementation of child sex offender registration reforms
The budget also includes further commitments to improve road safety outcomes, with the total road safety package in this year's budget $110.6 million.
This takes the additional government investment in road safety since the 2023-24 budget to $456.7 million.
There will be more road safety cameras at high-risk locations, with $46.8 million to provide:
- Mobile phone detection cameras at new locations to be decided
- Red light speed cameras at high-risk locations
- Point to point cameras on the South Eastern Freeway to target heavy vehicles
The money generated from these additional cameras will fund road safety programs including additional road safety maintenance, regional road safety upgrades, targeted road safety campaigns and upgraded heavy vehicle rest areas.
South Australia's prisons will have greater capacity, with $72.4 million over five years to increase capacity by 116 beds across various prison facilities.
This brings the total prison capacity expansion across the last two budgets to 468 new beds.
An additional $1.4 million has been allocated over two years to set up and operate an additional 19 transition beds at Mount Gambier prison to provide immediate increased capacity.
As well as increasing capacity in our prisons, we are investing $6.8 million over four years to improve security at prisons.
New security screening scanners and improved barriers will reduce contraband entering the prisons and improve the safety of staff, prisoners and the broader community.
Additional key funding in correctional services includes:
- $8.1 million over four years to establish an additional 30 bed Bail Accommodation Support Program which will create a remand to bail pathway
- $860,000 to the Parole Board to assist with an increase in hearings and preparation of reports
The criminal justice system will be getting improved facilities and additional resources to process more cases and reduce delays.
Critical upgrades are required on essential courts infrastructure with $20 million provided over the next four years.
There are significant investments in more resources, including:
- $9.4 million over four years to increase support for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions including establishing a junior solicitor team and pre-committal unit, as well as developing data models to streamline work
- $5.5 million over four years for Forensic Science SA to address increased demand and complexity of forensic testing
- $4.8 million over four years for additional sheriff's officers to improve security for the courts
- $4.4 million over five years for the Crown Solicitor's Office to support its work in child protection matters
As put by Peter Malinauskas
Community safety is a core responsibility for State Government, and it is one we take seriously.
We are in the fortunate position of having a crime rate that is falling, and the lowest youth offender rate of any state.
However, we cannot take our enviable position for granted.
This budget provides the framework for us to recruit a record number of police, with our policy to deliver 5000 sworn officers. It also ensures they will be equipped with the tools they need to protect the community.
As put by Stephen Mullighan
This Government is investing $395 million in South Australia's safety.
We are providing SA Police the funding for more personnel, better facilities and new equipment, so they are better resourced to perform their duties.
We are aiming to have a record number of police in our state, with 5000 sworn officers to protect the community, deter criminals and apprehend offenders.
As put by Kyam Maher
The safety of the community is a top priority for this Government, and we are investing in measures to protect South Australians.
This Budget invests funding at every stage of the justice process, from police officers responding to an incident, to forensic testing, prosecutions by the DPP, and security and facilities at court.
This year's Budget will help our law enforcement agencies in bringing offenders to account, and securing justice for victims of crime.
As put by Emily Bourke
We are delivering more capacity and increased security across the system to keep workers, prisoners and the wider community safe.
South Australia has the lowest reoffending rate in the nation and providing appropriate support to transition out of prison and into the community will help drive this rate down.
