South Australian ambulance officers will receive wage rises and improved working conditions after employees voted overwhelmingly in support of the State Government's enterprise bargaining offer.
The SA Ambulance Service Enterprise Agreement 2025 will cover approximately 2,100 workers and will deliver a total wage rise of 13.5% over four annual increases between December 2025 and December 2028.
The ballot comes after Ambulance Employee Association (AEA) leadership endorsed the offer in December following months of good faith negotiations between the union and State Government.
Highlights of this agreement include:
- Additional pay points and classification increments
- Penalty payments for end of shift overtime increasing to 200%
- Increased Regional Incentive Payments
- Improved paid primary carer leave and paid partner leave
- Professional development allowance of $1,200 per year
Now that the offer has been supported by employees, the endorsed agreement will be lodged with the South Australian Employment Tribunal for approval in the coming weeks.
This agreement is the second agreement the Government has reached with ambulance officers in this term of Government. In 2022 the Government reached agreement with ambulance officers, delivering their first pay rise in four years, after the Liberals did not give a single pay rise to ambos in their entire four-year term.
This latest enterprise agreement also builds on the major investments made by the Government in the public health system.
The Malinauskas Labor Government is delivering 24 brand-new, upgraded or completely rebuilt ambulance stations, three quarters of which are already complete.
The Government is also delivering more than 600 extra hospital beds to expand capacity and has recruited more than 2,700 additional frontline health workers above attrition since the election, including 350 extra ambos.
This agreement is also the latest in a suite of enterprise agreements achieved in recent months by the Government including:
- Firefighters
- Allied health workers
- Doctors
- Aged care workers, disability services workers, early childhood educators, hospital orderlies and sterilisation technicians
- Police
- SA Water staff
As put by Kyam Maher
Ambulance officers do extraordinary work looking after our community and saving lives.
Our ambos deserve a real wage increase well above inflation and that is what this agreement delivers.
This agreement also builds on the significant investment this Government has made in our public health system, having delivered more paramedics, more ambulance officers, more ambulance stations, more hospital beds, and improved ambulance response times.
I want to thank the Ambulance Employee Associations leadership for negotiating in good faith with the Government to deliver this new EB agreement.
As put by Paul Ekkelboom, General Secretary, Ambulance Employees Association
The AEA ran a targeted and strategic campaign focused on securing real wage growth, strengthening professional recognition, and delivering meaningful initiatives to support attraction and retention across the service. Today, members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new Enterprise Agreement.
This result reflects more than support for improved conditions—it reflects the culture that defines our union. A culture built on solidarity, collective strength, and the belief that when one of us rises, we all rise together.
This agreement represents a significant step forward for every workgroup and demonstrates the power of a united membership. It is a clear message that our collective voice is strong, and that together we can continue shaping a fairer, safer, and more sustainable future for all ambulance workers.
