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A South Australian police officer, critically injured after being stabbed, continues to improve following emergency surgery as his family thanked those who came to his aid, particularly a good samaritan who was first on the scene.

Sergeant Ian Todd, 53, suffered life-threatening wounds to his neck, arms and hands and was in emergency surgery for several hours until late on Wednesday after the incident in the small mid-north town of Crystal Brook.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the surgery had gone well and Sgt Todd continued to show progress.

Another officer who received serious wounds to his right leg and arm in the attack, Sergeant Jordan Allely, has since been discharged from hospital

The two men had gone to a property in Symons Street to speak with Sean Ferris in relation to a minor incident at the local supermarket the day before which reportedly involved a complaint about his dog.

In the course of what followed, Mr Ferris was shot dead.

In a statement, the family of Sgt Todd thanked police, ambulance officers, doctors, nurses and other first responders, who had helped the 53-year-old and his 32-year-old colleague.

"In particular, we would like to thank the member of the public who came to the scene and rendered assistance to them both," the family said.

"We are grateful for the courage that they displayed during such a confronting incident.

"We are also grateful to our local police community, the wider policing community, family, friends and other well-wishers for all of the messages we have received.

"That overwhelming support has made a huge difference to our family at this difficult time."

Mr Stevens said it was hoped both officers would be able to return to work, but that would depend on their individual circumstances.

"This is something that we will work through with each of the officers," he said.

"Dealing with an event like this is not just about recovering from physical injuries but it's about taking into account what they've had to do as police officers and the impact that will have on them going forward.

"My hope is that we can work with them to restore them to full duties but we'll do whatever we can to make sure that they come out of this as best as possible."

Mr Stevens declined to elaborate further on the circumstances surrounding the incident, with both an internal inquiry, major crime and coronial investigations underway.

He said he did not intend to interfere with those investigations.

"There will be a point in time when we can disclose more details about what actually transpired," he said.

"We do need to let the investigation take its course."

Mr Stevens said a detective superintendent had been appointed to head the police internal inquiry.

SA Police Minister Joe Szakacs said he had contacted the families of both the injured officers to let them know that "all South Australians stood with them".

"I can't begin to imagine the anxiety, the worry, the stress that they and their families are going through," he said.

© AAP 2023

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Fears big pay rises for public sector workers will make inflation worse have been shot down by the federal government.

Aged care staff will get a jump in pay after the government announced the federal budget would include an $11.3 billion boost for the sector.

More than 250,000 of them will receive a 15 per cent wage increase following on from a decision from the Fair Work Commission to raise the pay rate from July.

The Reserve Bank is concerned public sector wages could put more pressure on inflation but Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says the salary increase is sustainable.

"Nothing we have seen in terms of how inflation is tracking and moderating would lead us to believe wages is a contributor," she told AAP.

"There's a whole range of other reasons and even when you break down the inflation stuff, it's not being caused by wages."

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the pay rise was long overdue and could help attract more staff to the struggling sector.

"This is what's possible when we put the national budget on a more responsible and more sustainable footing," he said.

"We've gone out of our way here to make sure we can afford and we can work through in a responsible way this historic pay rise for aged care workers."

The biggest ever jump in pay for workers including registered nurses, cooks and home care staff follows a royal commission recommendation.

A personal-care worker on a level-four aged care award will take home $141.10 more a week, or more than $7300 a year, under the changes. A registered nurse on a level-2.3 award will pocket an extra $196.08 a week, or more than $10,000 a year.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells called the 15 per cent increase a "seismic shift".

"Today's pay rise will bring 10,000 more workers to the sector ... we all know the workforce crisis is the biggest issue facing aged care," she said.

"We will continue to work with everybody on this to make sure we do get enough workers not just in aged care but in the broader care economy."

Patricia Sparrow, from peak aged care body COTA Australia, said the workforce had been undervalued for too long.

"This funding boost will, among many things, help ease workforce pressures and ensure we have nurses available 24/7, which was a key recommendation of the royal commission and something older Australians have long advocated for," she said.

But she said transparency was needed to ensure the money went directly to workers and was not simply going to providers' bottom lines.

United Workers Union aged care director Carolyn Smith said many people had worked double and triple shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep residents safe and the rise would recognise this sacrifice.

The Aged and Community Care Providers Association said the extra money would help stem the exodus from the sector, which was under increasing pressure to deliver more services.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor said the government's spending was adding to inflation.

"Labor's kept talking a big game about how they're doing all the right things but we have world-beating inflation. Australia loves to be a world-beater but not in this way," he said.

© AAP 2023

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More than 250,000 aged care workers are in for a record 15 per cent pay rise under a $11.3 billion boost in the federal budget.

The Albanese government on Thursday announced the funding to meet a Fair Work Commission ruling that a 15 per cent wage hike for the sector's workers needs to come into effect in one hit from July.

The government argued that due to significant fiscal challenges, it should be allowed to space out the 15 per cent wage increase across two years - 10 per cent in 2023 and then five per cent more in mid-2024.

Unions argued against splitting the payments.

The biggest ever pay rise for workers including registered nurses, head chefs and cooks, and home care workers is in response to recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety calling for wages for aged care staff to be lifted.

A registered nurse on a level 2.3 award will pocket an extra $196.08 a week, or more than $10,000 a year.

A personal care worker on a level four aged care award will take home $141.10 more a week, or more than $7300 a year.

The Australian National Aged Care Classification price for residential care will be increased to $243.10 from July and is based on advice from the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said every worker deserved a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.

"This investment recognises the incredible contribution that aged care workers make to our economy and community and will help to create a bigger incentive for young Australians looking for a rewarding career to pick aged care in the future," he said.

Peak aged care body COTA Australia chief Patricia Sparrow said the workforce had been undervalued for too long.

"This funding boost will, among many things, help ease the workforce pressures and ensure we have nurses available 24/7, which was a key recommendation of the royal commission and something older Australians have long advocated for," she said.

But she said transparency was needed to ensure the money went directly to workers and was not simply going to the providers' bottom lines.

United Workers Union aged care director Carolyn Smith said many people had worked double and triple shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep residents safe and facilities operating.

"The 15 per cent pay rise is a major step towards recognising the incredible sacrifices aged care workers have made," she said.

The Aged and Community Care Providers Association said it would help stem the exodus from the sector, which was under increasing pressure to deliver more services.

"We know that the demand for workers in aged care will double by 2050, so we are grateful the government has recognised that we need to do all we can now to reward aged care staff for the important work they do every day," association CEO Tom Symondson said.

Meanwhile, the government will set aside $1 million to the Constitution Education Fund Australia and $475,000 to the Museum of Australian Democracy to deliver an information program for voters ahead of the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum later this year.

© AAP 2023

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A long-overdue pay rise for aged care workers could help attract more staff to the struggling sector as it receives a billion-dollar budget boost.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says a responsible federal budget has allowed for tens of thousands of workers to receive the much-needed pay increase.

More than 250,000 workers in the sector are set to get a 15 per cent increase in their wages as part of an $11.3 billion funding injection in the upcoming budget.

It follows a recent decision by the Fair Work Commission on increasing wages for aged care staff from July.

Dr Chalmers said aged care workers deserved the pay increase.

"This is what's possible when we put the national budget on a more responsible and more sustainable footing," he said.

"We've gone out of our way here to make sure that we can afford and that we can work through in a responsible way this historic pay rise for aged care workers."

The biggest ever pay rise for workers including registered nurses, cooks and home care workers follows a royal commission recommendation for aged care staff wages to be lifted.

A personal-care worker on a level-four aged care award will take home $141.10 more a week, or more than $7300 a year, under the changes.

A registered nurse on a level-2.3 award will pocket an extra $196.08 a week, or more than $10,000 a year.

The treasurer said the lift in pay would help tackle rising living costs.

"When it comes to inflation, decent wages for working people is part of the solution, not part of the problem," Dr Chalmers said.

"Next Tuesday's budget will make really important investments in workers but also in the care economy more broadly, and the budget will be all about responsible cost of living relief."

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said the 15 per cent increase would be a "seismic shift" for aged care.

"Today's pay rise will bring 10,000 more workers to the sector ... we all know that the workforce crisis is the biggest issue facing aged care," she said.

"We will continue to work with everybody on this to make sure that we do get enough workers not just in aged care but in the broader care economy."

Patricia Sparrow, from peak aged care body COTA Australia, said the workforce had been undervalued for too long.

"This funding boost will, among many things, help ease the workforce pressures and ensure we have nurses available 24/7, which was a key recommendation of the royal commission and something older Australians have long advocated for," she said.

But she said transparency was needed to ensure the money went directly to workers and was not simply going to providers' bottom lines.

United Workers Union aged care director Carolyn Smith said many people had worked double and triple shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep residents safe and facilities operating.

"The 15 per cent pay rise is a major step towards recognising the incredible sacrifices aged care workers have made," she said.

The Aged and Community Care Providers Association said the pay rise would help stem the exodus from the sector, which was under increasing pressure to deliver more services.

"We know that the demand for workers in aged care will double by 2050, so we are grateful the government has recognised that we need to do all we can now to reward aged care staff for the important work they do every day," association chief executive Tom Symondson said.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor said the government's spending was adding to inflation.

"Labor's kept talking a big game about how they're doing all the right things, but we have world-beating inflation. Australia loves to be a world-beater, but not in this way," he said.

© AAP 2023