Pre-poll opened this morning for the Australian Federal election on May 3 and the frustration of nurses not feeling listened to by the NSW state government over pay disputes has spilled over into the federal election. Nurses were on site handing out ‘how to vote’ leaflets at Murwillumbah for Richmond’s Greens candidate Mandy Nolan.
Nurses from Tweed, Lismore, Byron Bay, Casino and Clarence Valley and across NSW have been rallying for years to highlight that they are the lowest paid in the country. NSW nurses and midwives have been asking for a 15 per cent pay increase to bring NSW pay into line with other states, especially Queensland, where many nurses are moving to take advantage of the higher wages and benefits.
‘I’m here to support the Greens and support Mandy in the interests of nurses and midwives. We want conditions and pay at least equal to Queensland,’ says another local nurse Julia Clancy. ‘I think nurses are getting fed up’.
Juliet Green, who has been a nurse for 50 years said, ‘I’ve never seen so many nurses and midwives handing out for Greens and supporting Mandy – who is supporting nurses. We have been left behind by Labor state and federal government.’
Attending the Murwillumbah pre-poll both on the first day or voting, Mandy Nolan said it felt like ‘Voter Fest’.
‘As a mother of five, I’ve seen first-hand the magic of midwives and nurses. I love them. I even married one.’ says Mandy.
‘It’s simply unfair that nurses in NSW are not paid what they deserve, and they have to leave and cross the border. There is deep disappointment with Labor among nurses – but we have an historic opportunity in Richmond. I only need a 1.8 per cent swing to win, to keep Dutton out and push Labor to act.’
Senior local nurse Angue Gittus said, ‘More and more nurses and midwives are saying that they are moving away from the two major parties and looking to the Greens. A really big part of this is state Labor’s failure and that’s driven a lot of nurses away from Labor.’
Responding to the issue Richmond MP Justine Elltio told The Echo that, ‘I continue to support our NSW state government-employed nurses and midwives in their ongoing negotiations for better wages and conditions with their employer, NSW Health.
‘For this federal election I’m asking locals for their vote to strengthen Medicare and deliver a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. Only a vote for Labor can stop Peter Dutton becoming Prime Minister. Peter Dutton and the Nationals are just too big of a risk – they’ll cut Medicare to pay for their $600 billion nuclear reactors.’
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