Yahoo Finance $600 cost-of-living boost for thousands of Aussies
Families in South Australia will be receiving extra cost-of-living relief in 2025.
South Australian families will be better off by up to $600 per year, as part of new cost-of-living measures announced in the state budget. It comes on top of a one-off $243.90 cost-of-living payment confirmed for concession holders this month.
The State Government will double the sports voucher program from the beginning of next year for the next four years. Families will now be able to claim $200 off sport and recreation fees per child. The program will also include music lessons for the first time.
Parents of children attending public schools will also save $200 in the materials and services charge for the 2025 school year, up from the $100 discount available this year. In 2024, the fees were $287 for primary and $379 for secondary school students.
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In total, the government said the average family with two school-aged children could save an additional $600 in 2024-25 through the budget measures.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the budget was helping families with the cost of living in a “healthy way” by supporting kids to engage in sport and music “rather than playing on their phones”.
“These measures, including our $200 discount on the school materials and services charge, will deliver hundreds of dollars of savings to families,” Malinauskas said.
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Who is eligible for the sports vouchers?
The sports voucher program is available to South Australian children from reception to Year 9.
From January 1, the number of $100 vouchers will be doubled from one to two per year per child. This allows parents to claim a $200 deduction on sport and recreation fees per year.
The government said this will benefit around 100,000 children.
Who is eligible for the school fee discount?
The $200 materials and services charge reduction will be available to government school parents, caregivers and independent students for the 2025 school year.
The discount is automatically applied to the charge by the schools, meaning parents don’t need to apply and can keep that money in their pockets from the start of the year.
The government said this will benefit around 120,000 school children.
What sports vouchers are available in other states?
Each state and territory has its own kids sports vouchers with different eligibility criteria applied. For example, in NSW the scheme is now means-tested.
Here’s an overview of what’s currently available:
NSW: Active and Creative Kids voucher - 2 x $50 per child
VIC: Get Active Kids voucher - 1 x $200 per child
QLD: FairPlay voucher - 1 x $150 per child
SA: Sports voucher - 1 x $100 per child (increasing to 2 x $100 per child)
WA: KidSport voucher - 1 x $300 per child
NT: Sport voucher - 2 x $100 per child
TAS: Ticket to play - 2 x $100
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