New SA boss Paul Ekkelboom elected for the Ambulance Employees Association
Ambulance officers have elected a new union state secretary against a backdrop of ongoing record ramping across the state.
SA News
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The powerful Ambulance Employees Association has a new leader with Paul Ekkelboom easily defeating incumbent state secretary Leah Watkins in a union ballot.
The AEA ballot saw Mr Ekkelboom poll more than 800 votes, more than twice as many as Ms Watkins.
Mr Ekkelboom is a highly qualified extended care paramedic who has worked for SA Ambulance Service for the past 25 years.
He is a longstanding AEA member who has previously held positions on the AEA’s executive,
including twice as AEA President.
Fellow officials described him as a dedicated unionist and a strong and tireless advocate both for AEA members and for the broader South Australian community.
Mr Ekkelboom said he is honoured to have been elected by his colleagues.
“I would like to thank former secretary Leah Watkins for her many years of service and all
outgoing AEA elected officials for their contributions to the AEA and its membership,” he said.
“I look forward to working collaboratively with the AEA membership, representatives, union colleagues, and stakeholders to advance the interests of AEA members and the South Australian community.”
Ms Watkins said “I am so honoured to have represented the Ambulance Employees Association (AEA) and its members for the past three years.”
“I am proud of what we have achieved in that time, including increasing staff, securing funding for new ambulance stations, a new EOC, and ePCR, an Enterprise Agreement, drastically improved emergency ambulance response times and improved conditions and safety for members while they’re at work,” she said.
“We have a long history of fighting for the safety of members and the community. It is something that we as a union are incredibly proud of.
“I offer my congratulations to Paul Ekkelboom and wish him, the new State Council, and the membership, the very best for the future. I look forward to seeing the AEA go from strength to strength.”
All AEA positions are declared vacant every three years for an election.
Ms Watkins was elected in September 2021, replacing Phil Palmer who retired after 30 years in the position.
The three week election was held amid record ramping and disquiet among some members that the union which had campaigned hard to defeat the former Liberal government due to ramping was not advocating with the same gusto against the Labor government.
The union campaign included daubing ambulances with graffiti — a tactic which disappeared after the election despite ramping rocketing.
There were 2711 hours lost to ramping in March 2022 when the election was held, and despite massive amounts being poured into the health system including more ambulances and paramedics, it hit a record 5539 hours in July then dipped slightly to 5284 hours in August.
After an improvement in Priority 1 response times, these also have been dropping for the past five months, to 66 per cent of calls being attended to within the target of eight minutes in metropolitan areas.
Mr Ekkelboom ran on a platform which included “re-establishing the AEA’s political independence.”
He called for a “stronger stance & advocacy on ramping” and to “increased transparency about union activities.”
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