A $2 billion roads, rail and ports plan to create almost 7000 jobs over the next four years has formed the centrepiece of Labor's campaign launch for the South Australian election.
In a glitzy event in Adelaide on Sunday, Premier Jay Weatherill committed a re-elected Labor government to major works on road and rail crossings, further extension to the city's trams and construction of a deep-sea port in Spencer Gulf.
"South Australian jobs are my number-one priority and we are guaranteeing a continuous pipeline of work for our construction industry," the premier said.
Work will include the removal of seven dangerous level crossings in Adelaide and new tram lines to create 1700 new jobs each year for the life of the next government.
It will also include building a $700 million multi-user, deep sea port in Spencer Gulf to benefit both the mining and agriculture sectors which is expected to create an extra 400 jobs during the construction phase and 100 ongoing positions.
SA-BEST leader Nick Xenophon welcomed the spending commitment, "if it's done properly".
"The Labor government has a woeful history of cost blow-outs, of things going wrong, of programs not being delivered on time or on budget," he said.
The Labor launch came on the second full day of campaigning for the March 17 poll with the premier introduced at the event by Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek.
She hailed Mr Weatherill's working-class background as the son of a union official and his efforts to fight for the people of SA.
"Unlike his political opponents, he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth," she told the Labor faithful.
Across town, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall announced his own plan for the first 100 days of a Liberal government, including instigating a $90 million cut to the Emergency Services Levy along with initiatives in health, infrastructure, energy and child protection.
"What you're going to get from the Liberal Party is not talk, but action, straight away, day one from a Marshall Liberal government," Mr Marshall told reporters on Sunday.
This SA election is considered one of the most uncertain for many years with a genuine three-way contest looming between the Labor government, the Liberal opposition and SA-BEST.
Mr Xenophon is planning to run candidates in as many as 36 seats and is hoping to seize the balance of power in the next parliament.
Labor has not ruled out seeking his support to form a minority government while the Liberals say they will only govern if they have a majority in their own right.
Australian Associated Press
