The state government has denied accusations that it is breaking an election promise to offer free preschool for three-year-olds from 2026.
Education Minister Blair Boyer told ABC Radio Adelaide that part of the Labor party's commitment was to hold a royal commission to provide advice into how the preschool program would be implemented.
He said the royal commission would need to consider a number of issues and options including a staged rollout, as Victoria has planned.
Opposition education spokesperson John Gardner said voters had been promised a different timeline going into the state election.
"I think when voters voted for the Labor party — and many of them were very attracted to this policy — none of them were told that it wasn't something Labor thought they could deliver within their first four years," he said.
"They said their royal commission would help inform them on how to deliver it by 2026, but the fact is in parliament yesterday the minister explained what the roadblocks were ... and he identified that it had to be done in stages."
But Mr Boyer said the government had not changed its position "one iota" on the "once in a generation reform".
"We are really proud of this policy and we're going to deliver it how we said we would," he said.
Labor made the election commitment, and last year said “the aim would be to commence universal three-year old preschool from 2026".
Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT are introducing programs for three-year-olds.
At the time, deputy leader Susan Close said it was an important change.
"Across the developed world, preschool for three-years-olds is standard - but in South Australia, and Australia, it is rare. This must change," Dr Close said.
"We have an opportunity to create a better future for younger South Australians, but only Labor has a plan to make it happen."
