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The Priory in Australia is the one of the establishments of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. It is one of eleven international priories and the representative of the Order in Australia.

Structure of St John
The organisation is divided into the states/territories who have their own boards and oversee the day-to-day running of St John. Some states are also divided into regions, who oversee all branches and report to the state boards. St John Ambulance Australia has four main branches, with each one having its own specific area of operation.

Operations branch
St John provides volunteer first aid services at events and emergencies. First Aid Services is divided into states, regions and divisions.

Events covered by St. John Australia include sports, such as the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, where a team of 500 members treated over 3000 casualties. Other events covered include sporting events, such as the Australian Open, music concerts and community fetes.

St John First Aid volunteers support state emergency management and disaster plans in some states, in conjunction with other organisations like the State Emergency Service.

Training branch
St John is the largest first aid training organisation in Australia. Apart from its flagship Provide First aid (formerly Senior First Aid) course, St John also offer instruction in advanced topics such as ALS (Advanced Life Support), which includes Advanced Resuscitation, AED (Automated External Defibrillation) and analgesic administration (including entinox gas and methoxyflurane analgesics).

Ophthalmic branch
St John Ambulance in Australia raises funds and recruits staff for the St John Ophthalmic Eye Hospital in Jerusalem. Funds are raised through public donations, and income received from conducting first aid courses and selling first aid kits and merchandise.

Community care
St John Community Care conducts programs that are specific to each state. These activities range from assisting disadvantaged youth, to providing voluntary transport and support programs for the frail and elderly.

Ambulance service
In Western Australia and the Northern Territory St John Ambulance provides the statutory ambulance service. This service is provided through a combination of paid and volunteer staff. Paid ambulance officers and paramedics are used in the metropolitan areas and larger regional centres. Volunteer ambulance officers are used in regional areas and some outer metropolitan areas.

Cadet ranks
^ Cadet Leaders are adult members who have undertaken a specific leadership course and are ranked above cadets but below all adult ranks

Adult ranks

 * N.B. Each adult rank of officer may hold specific titles within a division, region, state/territory or national headquarters, such as Divisional Superintendent or Chief Officer (Cadets).

Youth and cadet movements
St John runs Cadet Divisions for children aged 8–17, this includes Juniors (8-11) and Cadets (11-17). These can be found in most towns or suburbs of major cities in Australia. Examples are Glebe Division and Bathurst Division in New South Wales, Greater Dandenong Division in Victoria and Playford Cadet Division in South Australia.

The youth program in Australia, focuses on developing young people in a variety of aspects. Young members are taught first aid and participate in youth development and social activities. For cadets, it is also possible to study for various 'badges'. Some of the topics available include counter-disaster, animal care and cookery.

Across most divisions, youth and cadet divisions meet once a week, in a designated place, to conduct a training night. There is a designated training program for youth and cadet divisions

Youth members within Event and Emergency First Aid Service programs attend public duties to provide first aid at various events to members of the public. These duties include things such as: Big Day Out, Royal Easter Show (NSW), National Folk Festival (ACT), AFL Games (All AFL states), NRL, Super 12, and Rugby Union games, amongst other popular events. There are also many more lower profile events, like local fetes and markets. At these duties, St John members use treatment tools such as oxygen therapy equipment, defibrillators and analgesic gases on top of the standard first aid equipment.

In most states, new youth members (minimum age 14) will be put through a Senior First Aid Course (SFA) free of charge.

St John youth also provides leadership opportunities for people of all ages. The program possesses a leadership program and a ranking system similar to the military.

First aid competitions are also held each year. In these competitions, cadets (in teams of up to 3, or on their own) are tested on their first aid skill, practical thinking and problem solving ability, and scene management skills. A national competition is held every year, at the National Cadet Camp.

Youth Councils
Each State and Territory is encouraged to facilitate provision of a Youth Council, the National Office also facilitates the Australian Youth Council. Broadly, Youth Councils provide guidance to St John on issues affecting the organisation and its future development, particularly concerning the opinion and interests of young people.

In 2006, the Australian Youth Council (AYC) restructured to be made up of 16 State/Territory representatives (nominated by their State/Territory, including the State/Territory Chairperson and another representative) and 5 National portfolio holders, including a Communications Coordinator, Training and Leadership Coordinator, Research Development Coordinator, Policy Coordinator and Australian Chair. The AYC Chair also sits as a full member of the National Board of Directors for St John Ambulance Australia. The aims of the Australian Youth Council include:


 * 1) To work across St John to make it the volunteering organisation of choice for young people in Australia.
 * 2) To provide opportunity for young people to actively participate in the governance of St John.
 * 3) To provide guidance to St John that will contribute to the further development and improvement of the organisation.
 * 4) To develop young leaders in St John.
 * 5) To be relevant to young people.

The AYC usually meets in person once or twice a year, usually including the National Conference or Priory in June, and another meeting (Youth Stakeholders Weekend) later in the year, as well as teleconferences during the year which may include either the entire Council or the National Team.

Youth councils consist of young people in the organisation who are aged 12 to 25 years.

Criticisms
In July 2009, the ABC's Four Corners broadcast a report identifying failures in St John's call-out system in Western Australia, where St. John run the ambulance service, specifically the failure of call centre operators to appropriately prioritise and respond ambulances. The program identified four deaths in which dispatch and prioritisation errors were involved. The WA Health Minister, Dr Kim Hames, has since promised to review "reports of significant wrongdoing, and see if it is correct" in order to prevent recurrence of such events.

On 24 March 2015, the ABC's 7.30 reported on poor management and culture within St John in Western Australia which led am ambulance officer to commit suicide.

States and territories of operation

 * St John Ambulance Australia Western Australia (Emergency Ambulance and First Aid Service)
 * St John Ambulance Australia Australian Capital Territory
 * St John Ambulance Australia New South Wales
 * St John Ambulance Australia South Australia
 * St John Ambulance Australia Northern Territory (Emergency Ambulance and First Aid Service)
 * St John Ambulance Australia Tasmania
 * St John Ambulance Australia Queensland
 * St John Ambulance Australia Victoria