Federal Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid has thrown his support behind the nurses of the Central Coast as they continue to campaign for better wages and conditions from the NSW Government.
Over the past year, members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association have joined colleagues statewide is a series of stopwork actions and strikes as they demand a 15 per cent pay rise and a number of conditions, including improved nurse-to-patient rations.
During the last sitting week of the 2024 Federal Parliament, Reid delivered a Member’s Statement in support of the campaign.
“Our NSW nurses and midwives are the backbone of our healthcare system, and yet, compared with their counterparts in other Australian states and territories, they are the lowest paid,” he said.
“This is leading to large numbers of our nurses and large numbers of our midwives leaving the state of NSW and pursuing healthcare roles in jurisdictions with better pay and conditions.
“This should not be happening in NSW.
“As a practising emergency doctor, I continue to work shoulder to shoulder with these nurses and with these midwives, and I see firsthand the dedication, the care and the professionalism they exhibit in often very challenging situations.
“Public sector nurses and midwives in NSW are calling for justified and necessary improvements to help rebuild our public health service.
“They are calling for better pay.
“They are calling for better conditions, including a 15 per cent pay rise.
“I have joined with our NSW nurses and midwives in their pursuit for better pay and conditions; the viability of our health system depends on it.
“I will continue to support our NSW nurses and midwives’ campaign for better pay and conditions because it is the right thing to do.”
To read about the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association campaign, visit www.nswnma.asn.au/
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