South Australia’s public health doctors will see a pay rise above inflation, with the new Salaried Medical Officers enterprise agreement officially taking effect this week after approval by the South Australian Employment Tribunal.
The agreement, reached between the Malinauskas Labor Government and the SA Salaried Medical Officers Association (SASMOA), delivers a 13 per cent wage increase over four years and introduces a range of measures aimed at improving conditions for junior doctors and those working in regional areas.
Doctors will receive a 3.5 per cent increase backdated to April 2025, followed by rises of 3.25 per cent in 2026 and 2027, and 3 per cent in 2028. The deal includes a $4,050 base wage increase for trainee medical officers and senior registrars, as well as incentives of up to $39,493 to attract and retain doctors in rural and remote communities.
Junior doctors in accredited training programs will also see their professional development allowance lifted from $8,500 to $10,000, ensuring they can maintain high clinical standards. To help reduce fatigue, doctors will now receive a minimum 10-hour break between shifts.
The agreement formally recognises the role of Rural Generalists, increasing their attraction and retention allowances in recognition of their broad skills and the complex needs of regional patients.
Seventy-two per cent of doctors who took part in a ballot at the end of August voted in favour of the agreement, which followed extensive good faith negotiations between the government and SASMOA.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the agreement delivers on his government’s commitment to reward doctors with a real wage increase. “Our public health doctors work exceptionally hard to care for South Australians and they deserve this fair and reasonable pay rise,” he said. “We committed to giving our public health doctors a real wage rise, and this agreement delivers on that. Pleasingly, we have been able to deliver a real wage rise while also making sure we are able to continue to make investments to build a bigger health system for South Australians.”
Deputy Premier and Minister for Industrial Relations Kyam Maher said the government had worked closely with SASMOA to ensure the new deal meets the needs of the state’s medical workforce. “Doctors in the public health system work incredibly hard and this agreement delivers a real pay increase to our hard-working doctors,” he said. “Importantly, this agreement also focussed on the needs of junior doctors to ensure their pay is nationally competitive and so South Australia can continue to grow our medical workforce. The Government thanks SASMOA and its leadership for working collaboratively and negotiating in good faith to get the best outcome for its members.”
Health Minister Chris Picton said the new enterprise agreement strengthens South Australia’s ability to attract and retain doctors. “The Malinauskas Government is delivering a fair and reasonable pay rise to our doctors who work hard every day across our health system to care for South Australians,” he said. “The new agreement ensures a nationally competitive pay packet for South Australian doctors. It also provides additional pay rises for junior doctors and senior registrars, greater certainty around working hours and employment conditions, and new incentives to attract and retain more doctors in our regions.”
The agreement builds on the government’s broader investments in health, including more than 600 new hospital beds and the recruitment of over 2,700 additional health workers since March 2022. This includes 646 extra doctors above attrition, exceeding the original election commitment sixfold.
The outcome marks one of the most substantial wage and conditions improvements for public health doctors in South Australia in recent years, reflecting the government’s push to rebuild the state’s health system while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
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