SA government eyes construction boost

South Australia's government will create more than 2000 construction jobs this year in the hope of boosting its struggling economy.

Work will begin on more than $2.5 billion of major projects this year, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan says.

They include the $985 million Northern Connector road upgrade, a new city high school and Adelaide's Festival Plaza redevelopment.

The government is also planning to build 1000 public housing dwellings over 1000 days, a centrepiece of its December mid-year budget review.

Unemployment in SA remained the highest in the nation at 7.3 per cent in November.