Set Your Clothes Free to keep textiles out of landfill | 31 October

South Australians are being encouraged to donate their unwanted clothes and shoes and free themselves of old linen and curtains this weekend, in the nation’s biggest textile recycling event.

Set Your Clothes Free, held on November1 at 13 drop-off sites across the state, will build on the success of the inaugural event in May which diverted nearly 20 tonnes of textiles from landfill, with items collected for resale (11.8 tonnes of high-quality clothing and footwear) or recycling (7.8 tonnes of household textiles).

The November event will expand to more regional areas including Whyalla and Mount Gambier, following its earlier success and clear demand from South Australians keen to support charities and clear out their closets.

Click here to find out (external site) what can be donated and where.

It's official: Southwark is back | 31 October

Southwark is once again a suburb of Adelaide after changes to suburb boundaries were made official this week.

Bringing back the name Southwark is a foundational part of the revitalisation of Adelaide’s inner-west, creating a city outside of the City across Port Road at Thebarton and the Hindmarsh triangle.

Southwark encompasses the State Government’s Southwark Grounds development, which will transform the former West End Brewery site into a vibrant mixed-use urban community.

Up to 1300 new homes alongside retail, commercial, hospitality and community spaces, delivered through Renewal SA, will breathe new life into this historic location.

The Southwark Hotel will again become part of Southwark, and the suburb will retain the 5031 postcode.

City Library is on the move | 30 October

The City Library will relocate from Rundle Mall to the State Library of South Australia (SLSA) in early 2026.

The move is expected to significantly increase visitation to the SLSA and offer improved library services and accessible programs for the community from one central location.

Located on North Tce, the SLSA attracts more than 550,000 visitors each year and its digital collections and websites are accessed almost 12,000 times a day. The City Library welcomes about 220,000 people each year and is home to everything from the latest books to digital resources, games, music toys and exhibitions.

The two will remain separate entities co-located within the same building.

National award for SES Deputy Chief Officer | 29 October

State Emergency Service Deputy Chief Officer Darryl Wright has been nationally recognised for his outstanding 40-year contribution to public safety, marine search and rescue, and volunteer advocacy.

Mr Wright this week received the Long-Standing Contribution Award from the National Search and Rescue Council at the 2025 Australian Search and Rescue Awards ceremony held at Queensland’s Parliament House.

In accepting his award, Mr Wright noted he had been fortunate to be part of strong and committed teams throughout his career and was proud to have contributed to the Australian Search and Rescue system and to community safety, particularly in the maritime sector.

He dedicated his award to the thousands of marine rescue volunteers across Australia who generously give their time to protect their communities.

Mr Wright began his career with the South Australia Police in 1981 serving in a range of diverse operational and investigative roles. In 1992 he joined the Water Operations Unit as a marine search and rescue operative and diver, a role he performed for 14 years before joining the SES.

More support for South Australians with epilepsy | 24 October

Life-saving training will be expanded across the state, ensuring hospital staff and paramedics are equipped with the most current guidance on treating seizures caused by epilepsy.

The State Government has committed a further $1 million over the next four years to allow specialised registered nurses from The Epilepsy Centre to deliver more life-saving training to health staff and others in the community.

Targeting violence in our hospitals | 24 October

The 'Abuse shouldn't be part of the job' advertising campaign targeting violence in our hospitals has been relaunched, as new data shows unacceptable levels of abuse against health workers.

There were more than 7000 Code Blacks recorded across SA Health hospitals from January to mid-July this year, compared to 13,094 incidents recorded for the whole of last year and 12,108 in 2023.

Any incidents or threats of aggression are recorded as a ‘Code Black’ on SA Health’s incident management system. Code Blacks are used not only for violent incidents, but as a preventive measure to de-escalate a situation before an incident occurs.

The 'Abuse shouldn't be part of the job' Respectful Behaviours Campaign has begun across TV, radio, print, digital, social media and billboards, calling for respect for our doctors, nurses, ambos and other health workers.

Record number of police applications | 21 October

More than 3000 people from across Australia and around the world applied to join SA Police in the last financial year.

A record total of 3050 applicants put their hands up to become officers, with 264 sworn officers graduating from SAPOL's training academy.

The State Government provided $12.2m over three years from 2023-24 to accelerate recruitment with measures including increasing the number of courses delivered by the Police Academy, engaging in recruitment campaigns, and improving vocational pathways.

The news comes as the State Government began consultation on tough new laws which would create a new offence of stalking a police officer or member of an officer's family.

While there are existing offences that cover stalking and threats made to police officers, they only cover such conduct when it is in relation to that officer's official duties, and not merely for the fact that they are a police officer.

Under the draft Criminal Law Consolidation (Offences Against Public Officers) Amendment Bill 2025, the new offence would have a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.

New gambling harm resources | 20 October

More than 450 pubs, clubs and support services in SA are being equipped with new resources to help patrons and clients recognise the early signs of gambling harm.

The Gambling Harm Support SA posters, postcards and fact sheets, being released to coincide with Gambling Harm Action Week (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (19-25 October), were developed with people who have lived experience of gambling harm.

The new posters and post cards provide an easy-to-use QR code which links users to the state government’s Gambling Harm Support SA website so they can find nearby help services, read personal stories and learn facts and myths about gambling.

As part of Gambling Harm Action Week, there will be another burst of the state government’s Spot the Harm, Stop the Harm (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) campaign from 19 October to 5 November.

If individuals require immediate help, they can contact the 24/7 Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 or visit: https://www.gamblinghelponline.org.au/ (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site).

Support acts announced for bp Adelaide Grand Final concerts | 20 October

South Australian rising stars My Chérie, Oscar The Wild and DEM MOB will support global icons Lenny Kravitz and AC/DC at the bp Adelaide Grand Final (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) concerts this November.

First Nations hip hop collective DEM MOB and ethereal pop sensation My Chérie will support Lenny Kravitz on Saturday 29 November, and indie favourites Oscar The Wild will open for AC/DC on Sunday 30 November.

In partnership with the South Australian Motor Sport Board, these supporting performances celebrate South Australia’s thriving live music industry, shining a national spotlight on some of the biggest names in the South Australian music scene and highlighting the depth and diversity of local talent.

Kooyonga to host LIV Golf | 10 October

LIV Golf - the world's best golf event - will be held at Kooyonga Golf Club in 2027.

Already having hosted multiple Australian Opens and state championships, the Lockleys course is regarded as one of the nation's premier private championship courses.

LIV Golf has delivered more than $217 million in economic benefit to South Australia across its first three years. This year's tournament was enjoyed by more than 100,000 attendees and delivered a record-breaking economic benefit of $81 million.

Next year's event will be held at Grange Golf Club from February 13-15. For more information and tickets, visit LIV Golf Adelaide (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site).

Appy days ahead for public transport users | 10 October

A newly updated public transport app now includes expanded ticketing options.

All ticket types are now available on the Adelaide Metro Buy and Go app, including Regular and Concession 14 and 28-day fares as well as the recently discounted $10 Student 28-day pass.

The Adelaide Metro subscription service has been updated and improved.

It now allows users to choose from a variety of news alerts, including special events, service disruptions and planned upgrades and improvements.

Users can personalise the subscription on the app to match their specific needs, by selecting which bus route, train or tram they want to be notified about, the alerts are then automatically emailed or texted to customers. Find out more here (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site).

Lobster enjoys all-time export record | 10 October

More South Australian lobster has been sold to the world in the past year than in any other 12-month period, with our state's exporters taking full advantage of the removal of Chinese trade restrictions and a market diversification support package.

According to latest trade data, South Australian lobster exports have more than doubled over the past year to $94.7 million – an increase of $54.6 million or 136 per cent.

The state's top lobster market in this period was China, having bought more than $64 million worth of the premium seafood in just eight months, with trade restrictions having only lifted in late December last year.

Six months earlier, the State Government launched the $475,000 Seafood Export Growth Program, which has since supported 27 key seafood businesses to access trade advisers and meet with key buyers here in SA and at international trade events. It has also funded a marketing campaign for audiences in China and Japan.

Better and safer access to the APY Lands | 9 October

A key road in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands has been upgraded to create safer travel for drivers and better access for critical services.

The upgrade of the Umuwa-Chandlers Road between Umuwa and Kaltjiti (Fregon) includes pavement remediation, road sealing, new line marking and signage.

The $14 million upgrade improves access for crucial services that deliver food and medical supplies to local communities in the APY lands.

More funding to support community sheds | 7 October

The latest Community Sheds Round will support the creation of new spaces in the APY Lands and Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.

Thirty-five community sheds across the state will share in nearly $550,000, with almost 70 per cent of the successful recipients located in regional and remote areas.

Community sheds provide spaces for people who are often older or retired to pursue hands-on projects such as fixing much-loved personal items with an array of donated tools and equipment.

For a full list of recipients, click here (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site).

Pedalling a peloton of bike projects | 5 October

A total of 18 projects across nine councils will benefit from the latest round of the State Government's $2 million State Bicycle Fund.

The grants will be used to design or construct projects that will install new shared-use paths, widen existing ones and construct crossings, along with other safety improvements.

For a full list of the projects to receive funding, click here (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site) (external site).