New transport charges are being considered for heavy vehicles using South Australian roads as part of a tax and charges review.

The State Government said the idea was put forward in a discussion paper released on Monday.

"We're proposing a thorough review of our whole taxation and charging system," Premier Jay Weatherill said.

"We want to launch our agenda within the next 12 months. This is the start of the discussion on how can we fund the infrastructure and services we need."

The Premier again ruled out toll roads for South Australia, saying they were not an effective way to fund transport infrastructure.

"We have the road transport industry calling for us to make substantial investments in our road infrastructure that obviously have to be financed and we believe that the more efficient way of doing this would be to explore network charges," he said.

"That is the trucks that use our road networks being charged according to their kilometre-use, their tonnage, so we can find a way of financing the much-needed upgrades to our infrastructure.

"Many of those sections of the road transport industry have called for tolls, well we've ruled that our but we do believe that some form of network charging may be the way of the future and that's what we're wanting to discuss as part of this thorough review of all our taxes and charges."

Road Transport Association executive director Steve Shearer said it would be hard for a government to impose new road charges without increasing the already heavy financial burden on the nation's truck operators.

"It's actually called mass distance location charging - it's a very nebulous concept that's been under active work nationally for several years and so far it's proved to be a complete bit of nonsense," he said.

"We're happy to contribute but we're not going to contribute more. What we're happy to contribute is something that equals our cost savings by having a smoother-flowing road with less stops and starts because we will save money if we can keep the truck moving instead of stopping at 100 sets of traffic lights."

Land and payroll taxes on the table for reform

Mr Weatherill said that in August the Government flagged 10 economic priorities for SA and he would be making a series of announcements about them between now and Christmas.

Land and payroll taxes, stamp duty and the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) were also on the table for reform in an effort to create "the nation's most competitive business environment".

"I fully appreciate it will create controversy but I also know that unless we make steps of this sort we will not realise the full ambitions of our state," Mr Weatherill said.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall was scathing in his response.

"SA is already the highest taxed state in Australia. This year's budget projected a further 10 per cent state tax hit in a single year," he said.

"What happened to the SA Parliament's budget and finance committee's 2013 tax inquiry? Labor responded by increasing taxes in SA."

Mr Marshall said the rise to the ESL in the 2014-15 State Budget had already created levy increases of 200 per cent for local governments, which were likely to be passed onto the general population through rising council rates.

This included a $60,000 levy hike for the City of Onkaparinga council, which partially covered the Fisher electorate where a by-election would be held early next month.

"Excuse me for being cynical about this," Mr Marshall said.

"The simple fact of the matter is we've got a by-election in five weeks time and the people of Fisher really want to know what they (the Government) are going to do to lower taxes in South Australia."

Business SA chief executive officer Nigel McBride said tax reform was desperately needed and the Premier had to deliver.

"He knows that me and others in the room will have something to say if it doesn't happen," he said.

The Property Council said it would welcome a serious discussion on reform but it needed to include land tax and stamp duty.