South Australia is in the midst of embracing the most remarkable economic opportunity to shape our state for future generations, and the government is determined to harness this to progress equality of opportunity. Now more than ever there is a need to advance gender equality in ways that see women equally, safely and actively participating in our economy and in every aspect of community life.

The 2026-27 Budget measures align with the Women’s Equality Blueprint 2023-26, addressing health, safety, leadership and economic participation, including a broad range of initiatives which will support and empower women across all stages of life.

Achieving equality for women and girls requires a collective effort, and this budget includes initiatives to meet this vision, with a focus on advancing gender equality by removing structural barriers that limit women’s participation in work, study and public life, while strengthening safety and wellbeing.

ROYAL COMMISSION INTO DOMESTIC, FAMILY AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE

$673.6 million is being invested over 10 years (including $231.6 million to 2029-30) to strengthen services and lay the foundations needed to build an effective and efficient domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) system, including:

  • $182.8 million to boost resourcing for SA Police to establish a dedicated DFSV service
  • $82.6 million to provide new services to children and families experiencing violence
  • $43.7 million to expand prevention programs to support behavioural change for people using violence
  • $36.2 million to improve access to forensic medical examinations
  • $25 million for a 24/7 central telephone and digital support line.

ACHIEVEMENTS

  • $9.2 million for women and girls sport funded through Power of Her Round 3
  • 390 female apprentice and trainee completions in technical and trade occupations in the year to 30 June 2025
  • Constructed 50 studio apartments for women at risk of homelessness
  • Trained 1 343 educators under the Embrace program to build positive body image for children and young people in schools, early learning and sport settings
  • Installed 243 dispensers to date, providing TAFE SA students with access to more than 600 000 free period products in 2025-26
  • Supported 712 women-owned businesses to accelerate their growth and profitability.

EXPANDING OSHC

$45.5 million over four years to deliver a 20 per cent expansion of OSHC services, helping reduce barriers to workforce participation and career progression for women.

NORWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB WOMEN’S CHANGEROOMS

$310 000 to build new women’s changerooms at Norwood Oval, to ensure women and girls can participate in sport with dignity, safety and respect.

AUKUS SKILLS

$26.8 million over five years including a commitment to increase participation of women and underrepresented cohorts to enter the defence industry.

MODERNISING LONG SERVICE LEAVE

The government will amend legislation to ensure that unpaid parental leave will count towards the accrual of long service leave, and that workers who move employment between different franchisees of the same franchisor will have their continuity of service recognised.

EX-GRATIA SCHEME

The government has established an ex-gratia scheme to enable eligible victim-survivors of domestic, family or sexual violence to access first home buyer benefits, including stamp duty relief and the First Home Owner Grant.

PAID REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LEAVE

The government will provide public sector employees with up to 10 working days of paid leave per year to be used for chronic reproductive health conditions, reproductive health treatments and preventative screenings.

COMBATTING HOMELESSNESS

$6 million over four years shared between Catherine House, Hutt Street Centre and St Vincent de Paul Society.

BANNING OFFENDERS FROM ONLINE DATING

To keep women and children safer from predators with reforms to ban domestic violence and sexual offenders from using online dating platforms.

PUBLICLY FUNDED IVF

South Australia’s first IVF rebate scheme to make IVF treatment more affordable for thousands of women and families.

MURRAY BRIDGE MATERNITY WARD, BIRTHING CENTRE AND RENAL CLINIC

$15 million over four years for infrastructure upgrades at the Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. A new maternity ward and birthing unit will increase capacity to eight beds.

WOMEN’S HEALTH CLINICS

$10 million over four years to support five GP clinics in establishing specialised women’s health clinics, offering services including endometriosis and pelvic pain management, pregnancy and fertility support, contraceptive implant services, menopause care and preventative health checks.

VIRTUAL PELVIC PAIN CLINIC AND ENDOMETRIOSIS CAMPAIGN

$4.6 million over four years to establish South Australia’s first Virtual Pelvic Pain Clinic, and launch an endometriosis awareness campaign.