Time to Care – Make Carers Count
This Election, Back South Australia’s Carers
Carers play an essential role in our community, yet too often they go unrecognised, under supported and financially stretched. South Australian unpaid Carers need greater awareness of their contribution, stronger recognition, improved support, and real relief from the growing financial hardship faced by many Carers.
This election, we’re calling on all candidates to commit to practical, achievable actions that make life fairer for the more than 245,000 Carers across South Australia.
Why this Matters
Carers support family members and friends living with disability, chronic illness, mental health conditions or age-related frailty. Their unpaid care enables people to live at home, reduces pressure on hospitals and services and strengthens communities. But caring comes at a cost. Many Carers face financial insecurity, limited workforce opportunities, poorer health and increasing stress as the cost of living rises. Carers need meaningful action, not promises.
Carers SA’s election platform outlines a coordinated set of initiatives to strengthen recognition, financial wellbeing, concessions and service navigation for South Australian Carers. This platform aligns with key national and state reforms including the Carer Recognition Act and the National Carer Strategy 2024–2034 — which reinforce the importance of recognising Carers, improving wellbeing, and building financial security. This platform creates a credible story by which the state government can demonstrate real progress while leaving the door open for federal partnerships to scale successful programs.
This platform creates a credible story by which the state government can demonstrate real progress while leaving the door open for federal partnerships to scale successful programs.
Our Election Platform Aims To:
• Elevate the social and economic recognition of Carers.
• Provide immediate and practical financial relief for Carers under pressure.
• Align with national and state Carer priorities ahead of the federal budget cycle.
• Strengthen navigation, information access and advocacy across the Carer community
Our Four Election Asks
Carers SA is calling on all political parties and candidates to publicly support Carers
Recognition and Awareness
Our Ask: Establish an annual Carer Recognition Grant Scheme of up to $150,000 per annum administered by Carers SA.
Urgent Financial Support
Our Ask: Establish a Carer Hardship Relief Grant of up to $400,000 per annum, administered by Carers SA, to provide one-off emergency payments for Carers experiencing financial crisis and needing immediate, essential support.
Carer Navigation Support
Our Ask: Establishment of a Service Navigation Program for Carers in South Australia.