Liberals critical of SA budget

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall has strongly criticised the South Australian budget.

The South Australian Labor government is a dead weight, holding the state back, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall says.

After delivering his reply to the state budget on Friday, Mr Marshall said government had failed to deliver on jobs growth and had failed to help those struggling with cost-of-living pressures, including increasing government taxes and charges.

"In fact, every time South Australians catch a bus or train, jump in a cab, put their bins out, or turn on a tap, they will be giving the Weatherill Labor Government more of their hard-earned cash," Mr Marshall said.

He also criticised the government's jobs program outlined in Thursday's budget, which he said would fail to deliver strong employment growth.

The $109 million program was the centrepiece of the South Australian budget on Thursday which had the state's finances surging back into the black.

It offers small to medium businesses up to $10,000 for each new worker they take on.

Business SA and other groups have welcomed the scheme but Mr Marshall said independent treasury advice indicated employment growth would still be half the national average.

"The state Liberals do not think that this is acceptable in any way," he said.

"The Labor government is a dead weight holding South Australia back."

The South Australian Council of Social Service was also concerned that the job program offered nothing to specifically help the most disadvantaged workers including the long-term unemployed, young workers seeking entry-level positions and lower-skilled workers.

"We know that unemployment and underemployment falls disproportionately on workers who are most disadvantaged," SACOSS chief executive Ross Womersley said.

Thursday's budget revealed South Australia would finish 2015/16 with a $258 million surplus with a similar result of $254 million tipped for 2016/17.

The surplus was then forecast to grow to $466 million by 2019/20.