An extra 50 ambulance officers will be recruited in South Australia as part of state government efforts to resolve an ongoing industrial dispute.
The Ambulance Employees Association has been calling for extra resources, both crews and ambulances, to ease the burden on existing staff and prevent long waiting times for some ambulance callouts.
Treasurer Rob Lucas said as well as the extra 50 staff, the government would invest in more officers once enterprise negotiations had been finalised.
He called on the union to cease all industrial action and accept the offer.
"We have always said we are willing to put in more resources, and today we are announcing that we have offered to immediately invest in at least an extra 50 ambulance officers conditional upon the union agreeing to roster reform," Mr Lucas said.
"We recognise the enormous contribution our hardworking ambos make to our community and this offer will help ensure they can deliver the best possible service to South Australians while reducing fatigue and improving work-life balance."
Among industrial reforms, the government wants shifts to be reduced from 12 hours to eight or 10.
It also wants an end to the policy of ambulance officers driving up to 35 kilometres to return to their home stations for meal breaks.
It believes crews should take breaks at the nearest available station.
"The reality is these reforms are necessary in order to properly heal our health system," Mr Lucas said.
"We remain of the view that the only way to resolve this industrial dispute is for there to be compromise on both sides."
The government and the union have been involved in mediation in the SA Employment Tribunal in recent days, with those talks continuing on Thursday.
