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SA:'Budget is cooked': debt pressure bites into spending

A government will impose a partial freeze on public service recruitment as it intensifies its budget focus on reining in the state's growing debt burden.

But the South Australian Opposition says the budget is "cooked" and Labor has no plan to manage the state's debt, which is predicted to balloon to close to $50 billion by 2039.

Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis will deliver the Malinauskas government's first state budget on Thursday since its resounding election victory in March.

It has announced a partial freeze on recruiting of non-frontline public sector for the next 12 months, which is forecast to cut 1000 positions and save $120 million.

Mr Koutsantonis described it as "back office efficiency" that would not affect frontline areas such as teachers, police, doctors and nurses.

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