SOUTH Australia is set to meet a forecast $1.2 billion deficit when the June Budget is handed down, despite Opposition claims it could blow out to $1.5 billion.
Under Treasurer Brett Rowse today told Parliament's Budget and Finance Committee he expected the record deficit was an accurate forecast.
In December, then-treasurer Jack Snelling released his mid-year Budget review, showing the predicted deficit had grown from $800 million to $1.2 billion.
The final figure will not be know until December, but will be updated in June's Budget, Premier Jay Weatherill's first as Treasurer.
Mr Rowse today said there could be fluctuations in spending or revenue, but anticipated the prediction would hold true.
"Broadly speaking, I think we would say the numbers are in the same shape as they were at mid-year Budget review time," he told the committee.
The review also forecast record total state debt of $14 billion to be reached in 2016, when the new Royal Adelaide Hospital comes on to the state's books.
It was also revealed there had been about $60 million in unplanned Budget spending.
The troubled health department has spent about $20 million more than planned.
The welfare and social inclusion department has spent $10 million more than anticipated.
A higher level of demand for vocational training under the Skills for All program has led to a $30 million blowout in the Department for Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology.
Mr Rowse said the Government was on track to deliver a record $1.2 billion deficit, first forecast in December, despite about $60 million in new unplanned spending from the health, training and disability departments.
He revealed the public service was expected to add 507 full time employees this financial year, taking the total to 85,938 by July 1. At the end of the 2014 financial year, after the election, it must be cut by 2840 full-time jobs.
Further cuts must be delivered in the next two years to reduce the public sector to 80,716 full-time jobs in 2016.
Opposition Leader Steven Marshall has raised fears the deficit will blow out to $1.5 billion or more, due to overspending in State Government departments.
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