COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Workers

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding COVID-19. Are the nurses who work in medi-hotels entitled to the same pay and conditions as other nurses in the health system, including salary sacrifice and a monthly $100 car park subsidy and, if not, why not?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:38): I will certainly seek an answer to the honourable member's question. I should say that one factor where they don't have the same entitlements as other nurses is that they are not entitled to work in a hospital while they work in a medi-hotel, and that is part of our strategy to minimise the risk of transmission. I assure the honourable member that we highly respect our nurses and midwives and I will certainly seek advice, but I would be surprised if their conditions were not comparable.

The work being done by the nurses and midwives in our medi-hotels, the work of security guards, the work of police and protective security officers, is a great service to this state. I would like to take the opportunity again to say that I believe that we have a responsibility to help stranded Australians and permanent residents to come home, and it is the sacrificial service of people such as those that is making that possible.