Radio Dispatcher
A Radio Dispatcher receives and prioritises emergency or non-emergency calls in control centres operated by police, fire, ambulance, or transport services, and dispatches field personnel via radio communications.
What this job is
A Radio Dispatcher receives and prioritises emergency or non-emergency calls in control centres operated by police, fire, ambulance, or transport services, and dispatches field personnel via radio communications. They manage real-time information about resource availability, incident locations, and personnel status using computer-aided dispatch systems to ensure rapid response and operational efficiency. The role requires sustained concentration, clear verbal communication, and the ability to work under pressure in a 24/7 shift-based environment.
Are employers advertising this role?
Falling, down 25.2% over 5 years
Counted across a group of similar roles. These are three-month rolling averages of online job advertisements, not filled positions.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index.
Day-to-day
Receive incoming calls via telephone and computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems and extract critical incident information including caller location, nature of emergency, and details of persons involved. Input incident data into CAD software to generate automatic dispatch recommendations and resource allocation prioritisation. Assess call urgency and apply the emergency response protocols of the employing agency to classify incidents as life-threatening, urgent, or routine. Dispatch appropriate field units (police vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks, or transport vehicles) via radio transmission using standardised radio codes and phonetic alphabet procedures. Monitor status updates from dispatched units via radio and update CAD systems in real-time to track unit location, availability, and incident progression. Provide ongoing radio communication between field personnel and command centre, relaying critical information such as casualty numbers, hazard warnings, or tactical instructions. Maintain detailed incident logs and event records in accordance with organisational documentation standards and legal requirements for emergency service accountability. Triage multiple simultaneous incidents and reorder dispatch priorities if new higher-risk emergencies occur or field resources become unavailable.
Who does this now
About 4,800 people worked in this occupation across Australia at the 2021 Census.
What this role asks for
Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4)
Registration or licensing may be required.
Can employers fill these jobs
Employers hiring for this occupation were generally able to find suitable applicants in 2025. This measures how hard employers found it to fill jobs. It is not a count of jobs, and it does not say whether the occupation is growing.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Jobs and Skills Australia defines an occupation-ready qualification as:
Completing this qualification will provide the skills and knowledge to undertake this occupation. Further training and experience may be required to meet specific industry requirements including licensing and registration.
Jobs and Skills Australia, Training Occupation Pathways dataset, March 2026, version 1.0
Requirements
The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.
The honest hard part
Shift work is brutal and non-negotiable. You'll work nights, weekends, and public holidays on rotating rosters for your whole career. The emotional weight of handling life-and-death calls while staying calm never fully switches off.
Where the jobs are
Regional areas have fewer opportunities but often struggle to fill them. Practically speaking, remote work isn't an option: you need to be in the control centre. Most roles are with state emergency services, police communications, or ambulance authorities.
Pay
Published for ANZSCO unit group 5999, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.
This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.
Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
Skills
- Active Listeningcore
- Attention to Detailcore
- Data Entry and Accuracycore
- Dispatch Documentationcore
- Driver and Courier Liaisoncore
- Escalation Managementcore
- Inbound Call Handlingcore
- Multitaskingcore
- Outbound Customer Contactcore
- Problem Solvingcore
- Telephone Etiquettecore
- Time Management and Prioritisationcore
- Verbal Communicationcore
- Workflow Prioritisationcore
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Conflict De-escalation
- Delivery Scheduling
- Digital Literacy
- Incident Reporting
- Policy and Procedure Adherence
- Record Management
- SLA and KPI Adherence
Which of these do you have?
Tick the ones you haveCommon questions
Sources
- ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
- ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
- ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.
Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.
Last updated: 30 October 2026
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