The Australian Greens say the Abbott government has again sided with private interests over public education in its decision to withhold money from South Australia because of the states' new policy of prioritising TAFE in the provision of training.

Greens spokesperson for higher education Senator Lee Rhiannon today said: "The South Australian government has started to realise the significant problems associated with the current national partnership agreement on training and have moved to prioritise the public sector, something the federal government should take on board.

The 2015 Budget has no vision for the future of South Australia, say SA's Australian Greens Senators.

Senator Penny Wright said the Government was continuing to protect big business at the expense of everyday South Australians.

"The Abbott Government has absolutely no vision for South Australia's future. Rather than finding new sources of revenue from the big end of town, this Budget cuts one vital service to fund another," Senator Wright said.

More than $78 million will be ripped out of South Australian universities in the next four years if the Coalition's cuts to higher education go ahead, say Australian Greens Senators for South Australia Penny Wright and Sarah Hanson Young.

The party this week launched a national campaign lobbying selected Labor MPs for their support in blocking the Coalition's plan to rip $2.3 billion out of the higher education budget.