With NSW Nurses rates of pay currently sitting behind other states, the recent budget did little to address the matter, leaving rural and regional frontline workers feeling frustrated.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has rebuked the NSW government for its lack of thought around wages while welcoming its other funding to improve performance and wellbeing for NSW Nurses.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey announced $34 billion in health funding and $3.3 billion in capital investment in the 2025-26 budget, but according to NSWNMA nothing for a wage rise or funding to expand the rollout of Safe Staffing ratios.

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said the Treasurer’s third budget was a missed opportunity to tackle the pay disparity with other states and territories.

“The Queensland and Victorian governments are investing in nurses and midwives’ wages to help grow their frontline health workforce, yet we are not seeing this long-term planning in NSW,” said Ms Candish.

“We welcome the additional money that’s been allocated for infrastructure upgrades and hospital redevelopments, but unless the NSW government is prepared to direct serious funding towards public sector nurses and midwives’ wages, we will remain behind.

“The Special Commission of Inquiry acknowledged nurses and midwives are struggling, and that the state’s public health system is stretched and underfunded, but rather than act with urgency the government has chosen to leave it for the industrial umpire to decide an outcome.

“Until the government invests in our workforce, more nurses and midwives will continue to flee NSW for better pay and conditions to the north and south,” Ms Candish.

NSWNMA General Secretary, Shaye Candish [IMAGE - NSWNMA]

According to a Western area nurse there is still a long way to go for rural nurses.

“We need our union and government to let us have input and be heard to develop better policies and remuneration around work-life balance for nurses, midwives, and carers.

“To be heard on rostering, shift work and flexible work practices considering rurally we don’t have adequate childcare and the distances some of us travel to work.

“In the bush we are heavily relying on overseas nurses who aren’t staying because of the pay disparity between the states and because there is inadequate support in the community like childcare or cheap housing”, she said.

.

NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary, Michael Whaites, said while the $83 million allocated to maternity care, including 53 additional midwives for regional areas, will help improve access to continuity of care models, he says better pay and conditions would attract and retain staff.

“Creating additional midwifery positions is important, but we know sites struggle to recruit to existing positions. Unless we close the pay gaps for our nurses and midwives, they’ll struggle to fill the positions,” added Mr Whaites.

“Despite acknowledging the pressures families are under, the Treasurer has focused on private sector investment and capital works over improving the lives of nurses and midwives.

“It’s important to address housing supply and affordability and to ensure there’s new developments for population and productivity growth, but the government also needs to significantly lift its investment in its biggest public sector workforce.

“Money that’s been allocated to better support injured workers is welcome, but we remain opposed the government’s cruel proposal to stop workers compensation claims for psychological injuries.”

The NSWNMA says it will continue to advocate for better pay and conditions across the state’s public health system.