Enterprise Bargaining

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:41): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Treasurer regarding enterprise bargaining.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Today, the nurses federation has made statements about progress on the nurses enterprise bargaining.

An honourable member interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Continue, the Hon. Mr Hood.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: My question to the Treasurer is: will he update the chamber on this important matter?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:42): I am advised that today is International Nurses Day, so—

The Hon. S.G. Wade: In the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: In the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. I know the Minister for Health has made public statements, but I, too, join with my colleagues on this side of the chamber in publicly acknowledging the magnificent work that nurses do. Mr President, you would be very familiar with the magnificent work that nurses do specifically but also generally. On behalf of government members, I publicly acknowledge, proudly acknowledge, the magnificent work nurses do not just during the onslaught of the global pandemic, which has obviously focused attention, but at all times.

With that backdrop, I am pleased to indicate that we are getting closer to reaching an agreement with the nurses federation in relation to an EB. The federation have issued a public statement today saying that an agreement had been concluded or reached. I think that's just a touch premature, but it is certainly, nevertheless, indicative that we have progressed significantly in terms of negotiations. I would be hopeful that sooner rather than later we might be in a position to put an offer to all nurses for a ballot.

The process is that government negotiators will hopefully conclude in the near future negotiations with representatives of the nurses federation in relation to an agreement. I note the nurses have welcomed a 2 per cent offer as a win for nurses. We are delighted to hear that perspective on the offer. We indicated at the outset that taxpayers could not afford the original ask of 3.5 per cent in terms of salary increases. The taxpayers could really only afford moderate and sensible salary increases. We are pleased to see the nurses federation's public acknowledgement of the 2 per cent offer as a win for nurses in South Australia.

If those final details of a formal offer can be concluded in the coming days, that final offer will go to the nurses federation negotiators. If an agreement can be reached, then a formal offer has to go to a ballot of all nurses—and I am told there are some approximately 17,000 plus, but I am sure my ministerial colleague will have a more precise number than I. Nevertheless, it is a very significant number of employees that will have to be balloted, because the federation represents a significant number of nurses but not, indeed, all nurses, and all nurses will have the opportunity to vote either for or against the formal offer.

As with the AEU negotiation, we have every expectation that if the nurses federation is endorsing the acceptability of the government's offer on behalf of taxpayers then it is highly likely that the vast bulk of the nurses on an enterprise agreement ballot are likely to support it as well. But one can never assume these things, so there is still a process that has to be gone through. I am told that a ballot of all 17,000 nurses can take a number of weeks to be conducted within SA Health, but officers from the Treasury department will work with SA Health in progressing it should there be the final details negotiated with the nurses federation.

I thank my colleague for the question and I am very hopeful that we will be able in the not-too-distant future to announce a formal offer to go to all nurses for a ballot with the expectation, I hope, that what has been, certainly from the government's viewpoint, a productive discussion and negotiation and, certainly on behalf of the taxpayers of South Australia, if it is agreed, a welcome acknowledgement that even in these tough times this government is prepared to offer sensible and reasonable salary increases to its hardworking public service employees and in particular nurses.