
Festival state eyes climate summit amid debt concerns
South Australia's budget, to be handed down on Thursday by Treasurer Stephen Mullighan, will commit $8.3 million for Adelaide to get ready for the UN's COP31 summit.
The federal government has selected Adelaide as its preferred city to host the event, if Australia's bid for the conference is successful.
Analysis shows hosting the event would deliver a potential benefit to SA of $512 million.
The budget will fund significant planning for security, transport and infrastructure at COP31, which Premier Peter Malinauskas said would be bigger than the AFL's Gather Round, LIV Golf, the Adelaide Festival and Fringe combined.
"To deliver it will take a monumental logistical and planning effort … it is vital that we accelerate that effort and that is exactly what the state budget will do," he said.
The budget is the last before the state election in March 2026.
Sweeteners are unlikely with the government already locked into two big-ticket, long-term infrastructure projects: the $15.4 billion Torrens to Darlington tunnels project and the $3.2 billion new Women's and Children's Hospital.
Those projects are the main reason SA's debt is heading towards $46 billion in four years.
Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia said the government must prioritise cost-of-living relief.
"The Labor government has so far failed to deliver where it's most needed, with South Australians paying record high power bills and struggling with a housing affordability crisis," he said.
"There are practical solutions that the Liberal Party have put forward, including stamp duty relief, reintroducing the home battery scheme and scrapping the GP payroll tax grab."
The government will be expected to respond to calls for increased support for farmers and rural areas, amid the state's worsening drought.
With dams running dry, no sub soil moisture, hay stocks at critical levels and farmers selling livestock, the agricultural sector will be hoping for an increase to the $73 million of support already announced.
The impact on the budget's bottom line of the joint state and federal $2.4 billion support package for the Whyalla steelworks, announced in March, will also be monitored.
The government has already announced $125 million over five years to remove a level crossing on a key northern suburbs thoroughfare, matching a federal funding commitment to the project.
A further $171 million will go towards the expansion of a non-government school loan scheme, to increase eligibility for preschool infrastructure projects before the introduction of preschool for three-year-olds from 2026.
The government will spend $13.9 million over five years to expand the Mental Health Co-Responder Program across Adelaide, in which mental health clinicians are paired with a police officer respond to mental health triple-zero callouts.
A security task force to combat antisocial and violent behaviour across the Adelaide Metro network will also be rolled out as part of a $9.6 million investment in transport safety.
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The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Israeli forces kill at least 25 seeking aid in Gaza
Israeli air strikes and gunshots have killed at least 25 people, according to Palestinian health officials and the local ambulance service, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Gaza faces famine. Gunfire killed the majority of people as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were taken. Israel's army didn't respond to a request for comments about the shootings. Those killed in strikes included four people in an apartment building in Gaza City, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were at a standstill after the US and Israel recalled negotiating teams on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks. A Hamas official, however, said negotiations were expected to resume next week and described the recall of the Israeli and US delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which mediate the talks alongside the United States, called the pause only temporary and said talks would resume. They did not say when. The United Nations and experts say Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with reports of increasing numbers of people dying from causes related to malnutrition. And now children with no pre-existing conditions have begun to starve to death. Israel on Saturday said over 250 trucks carrying aid from the UN and other organisations entered Gaza this week. About 600 trucks were entering per day during the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March. The latest Zikim crossing shootings come days after at least 80 Palestinians were killed trying to reach aid entering through the crossing. Israel's military at the time said its soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians who posed a threat. During the shootings late Friday, Sherif Abu Aisha said people started running when they saw a light that they thought was from the aid trucks, but as they got close, they realised it was from Israel's tanks. He said his uncle, a father of eight, was among those killed. "We went because there is no food ... and nothing was distributed," he said. Men carried the latest bodies through the rubble on Saturday. A small boy wailed over a corpse. Israel faces growing international pressure to alleviate Gaza's catastrophic humanitarian crisis. More than two dozen Western-aligned countries and over 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. For the first time in months, Israel said it is allowing airdrops, requested by neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian official said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula. Britain plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said Saturday. The office did not give details. But the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned on social media that airdrops are "expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians". He said they won't reverse the increasing starvation or prevent aid diversion. Israeli air strikes and gunshots have killed at least 25 people, according to Palestinian health officials and the local ambulance service, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Gaza faces famine. Gunfire killed the majority of people as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were taken. Israel's army didn't respond to a request for comments about the shootings. Those killed in strikes included four people in an apartment building in Gaza City, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were at a standstill after the US and Israel recalled negotiating teams on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks. A Hamas official, however, said negotiations were expected to resume next week and described the recall of the Israeli and US delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which mediate the talks alongside the United States, called the pause only temporary and said talks would resume. They did not say when. The United Nations and experts say Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with reports of increasing numbers of people dying from causes related to malnutrition. And now children with no pre-existing conditions have begun to starve to death. Israel on Saturday said over 250 trucks carrying aid from the UN and other organisations entered Gaza this week. About 600 trucks were entering per day during the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March. The latest Zikim crossing shootings come days after at least 80 Palestinians were killed trying to reach aid entering through the crossing. Israel's military at the time said its soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians who posed a threat. During the shootings late Friday, Sherif Abu Aisha said people started running when they saw a light that they thought was from the aid trucks, but as they got close, they realised it was from Israel's tanks. He said his uncle, a father of eight, was among those killed. "We went because there is no food ... and nothing was distributed," he said. Men carried the latest bodies through the rubble on Saturday. A small boy wailed over a corpse. Israel faces growing international pressure to alleviate Gaza's catastrophic humanitarian crisis. More than two dozen Western-aligned countries and over 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. For the first time in months, Israel said it is allowing airdrops, requested by neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian official said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula. Britain plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said Saturday. The office did not give details. But the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned on social media that airdrops are "expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians". He said they won't reverse the increasing starvation or prevent aid diversion. Israeli air strikes and gunshots have killed at least 25 people, according to Palestinian health officials and the local ambulance service, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Gaza faces famine. Gunfire killed the majority of people as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were taken. Israel's army didn't respond to a request for comments about the shootings. Those killed in strikes included four people in an apartment building in Gaza City, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were at a standstill after the US and Israel recalled negotiating teams on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks. A Hamas official, however, said negotiations were expected to resume next week and described the recall of the Israeli and US delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which mediate the talks alongside the United States, called the pause only temporary and said talks would resume. They did not say when. The United Nations and experts say Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with reports of increasing numbers of people dying from causes related to malnutrition. And now children with no pre-existing conditions have begun to starve to death. Israel on Saturday said over 250 trucks carrying aid from the UN and other organisations entered Gaza this week. About 600 trucks were entering per day during the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March. The latest Zikim crossing shootings come days after at least 80 Palestinians were killed trying to reach aid entering through the crossing. Israel's military at the time said its soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians who posed a threat. During the shootings late Friday, Sherif Abu Aisha said people started running when they saw a light that they thought was from the aid trucks, but as they got close, they realised it was from Israel's tanks. He said his uncle, a father of eight, was among those killed. "We went because there is no food ... and nothing was distributed," he said. Men carried the latest bodies through the rubble on Saturday. A small boy wailed over a corpse. Israel faces growing international pressure to alleviate Gaza's catastrophic humanitarian crisis. More than two dozen Western-aligned countries and over 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. For the first time in months, Israel said it is allowing airdrops, requested by neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian official said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula. Britain plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said Saturday. The office did not give details. But the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned on social media that airdrops are "expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians". He said they won't reverse the increasing starvation or prevent aid diversion. Israeli air strikes and gunshots have killed at least 25 people, according to Palestinian health officials and the local ambulance service, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Gaza faces famine. Gunfire killed the majority of people as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were taken. Israel's army didn't respond to a request for comments about the shootings. Those killed in strikes included four people in an apartment building in Gaza City, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were at a standstill after the US and Israel recalled negotiating teams on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks. A Hamas official, however, said negotiations were expected to resume next week and described the recall of the Israeli and US delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which mediate the talks alongside the United States, called the pause only temporary and said talks would resume. They did not say when. The United Nations and experts say Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with reports of increasing numbers of people dying from causes related to malnutrition. And now children with no pre-existing conditions have begun to starve to death. Israel on Saturday said over 250 trucks carrying aid from the UN and other organisations entered Gaza this week. About 600 trucks were entering per day during the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March. The latest Zikim crossing shootings come days after at least 80 Palestinians were killed trying to reach aid entering through the crossing. Israel's military at the time said its soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians who posed a threat. During the shootings late Friday, Sherif Abu Aisha said people started running when they saw a light that they thought was from the aid trucks, but as they got close, they realised it was from Israel's tanks. He said his uncle, a father of eight, was among those killed. "We went because there is no food ... and nothing was distributed," he said. Men carried the latest bodies through the rubble on Saturday. A small boy wailed over a corpse. Israel faces growing international pressure to alleviate Gaza's catastrophic humanitarian crisis. More than two dozen Western-aligned countries and over 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. For the first time in months, Israel said it is allowing airdrops, requested by neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian official said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula. Britain plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said Saturday. The office did not give details. But the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned on social media that airdrops are "expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians". He said they won't reverse the increasing starvation or prevent aid diversion.


West Australian
5 hours ago
- West Australian
Israeli forces kill at least 25 seeking aid in Gaza
Israeli air strikes and gunshots have killed at least 25 people, according to Palestinian health officials and the local ambulance service, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Gaza faces famine. Gunfire killed the majority of people as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were taken. Israel's army didn't respond to a request for comments about the shootings. Those killed in strikes included four people in an apartment building in Gaza City, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were at a standstill after the US and Israel recalled negotiating teams on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks. A Hamas official, however, said negotiations were expected to resume next week and described the recall of the Israeli and US delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which mediate the talks alongside the United States, called the pause only temporary and said talks would resume. They did not say when. The United Nations and experts say Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with reports of increasing numbers of people dying from causes related to malnutrition. And now children with no pre-existing conditions have begun to starve to death. Israel on Saturday said over 250 trucks carrying aid from the UN and other organisations entered Gaza this week. About 600 trucks were entering per day during the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March. The latest Zikim crossing shootings come days after at least 80 Palestinians were killed trying to reach aid entering through the crossing. Israel's military at the time said its soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians who posed a threat. During the shootings late Friday, Sherif Abu Aisha said people started running when they saw a light that they thought was from the aid trucks, but as they got close, they realised it was from Israel's tanks. That's when the army started firing on people, he told The Associated Press. He said his uncle, a father of eight, was among those killed. "We went because there is no food ... and nothing was distributed," he said. Men carried the latest bodies through the rubble on Saturday. A small boy wailed over a corpse. Israel faces growing international pressure to alleviate Gaza's catastrophic humanitarian crisis. More than two dozen Western-aligned countries and over 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. For the first time in months, Israel said it is allowing airdrops, requested by neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian official said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula. Britain plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said Saturday. The office did not give details. But the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned on social media that airdrops are "expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians". He said they won't reverse the increasing starvation or prevent aid diversion.


Perth Now
5 hours ago
- Perth Now
Israeli forces kill at least 25 seeking aid in Gaza
Israeli air strikes and gunshots have killed at least 25 people, according to Palestinian health officials and the local ambulance service, as ceasefire talks appear to have stalled and Gaza faces famine. Gunfire killed the majority of people as they waited for aid trucks close to the Zikim crossing with Israel, said staff at Shifa hospital, where the bodies were taken. Israel's army didn't respond to a request for comments about the shootings. Those killed in strikes included four people in an apartment building in Gaza City, hospital staff and the ambulance service said. Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were at a standstill after the US and Israel recalled negotiating teams on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering "alternative options" to ceasefire talks. A Hamas official, however, said negotiations were expected to resume next week and described the recall of the Israeli and US delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which mediate the talks alongside the United States, called the pause only temporary and said talks would resume. They did not say when. The United Nations and experts say Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of famine, with reports of increasing numbers of people dying from causes related to malnutrition. And now children with no pre-existing conditions have begun to starve to death. Israel on Saturday said over 250 trucks carrying aid from the UN and other organisations entered Gaza this week. About 600 trucks were entering per day during the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March. The latest Zikim crossing shootings come days after at least 80 Palestinians were killed trying to reach aid entering through the crossing. Israel's military at the time said its soldiers shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians who posed a threat. During the shootings late Friday, Sherif Abu Aisha said people started running when they saw a light that they thought was from the aid trucks, but as they got close, they realised it was from Israel's tanks. That's when the army started firing on people, he told The Associated Press. He said his uncle, a father of eight, was among those killed. "We went because there is no food ... and nothing was distributed," he said. Men carried the latest bodies through the rubble on Saturday. A small boy wailed over a corpse. Israel faces growing international pressure to alleviate Gaza's catastrophic humanitarian crisis. More than two dozen Western-aligned countries and over 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticising Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. For the first time in months, Israel said it is allowing airdrops, requested by neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian official said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula. Britain plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said Saturday. The office did not give details. But the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, warned on social media that airdrops are "expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians". He said they won't reverse the increasing starvation or prevent aid diversion.