Legislative Council Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Nurses and Midwives Nurses and Midwives The Hon. R.A. SIMMS Legislative Council Nurses and Midwives The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (14:34): Supplementary: why are South Australian nurses and midwives the lowest paid in the nation, and why won't Labor pay them what they're worth? The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council Deputy Premier Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Deputy Premier Attorney-General Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector Nurses and Midwives The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Deputy Premier, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:34): I thank the honourable member for his question. I will look forward to the honourable member supplying the data that compares all pay points for nurses and midwives, because I'm not sure that's quite correct, but I am happy to sit down with the honourable member. I think for various different levels of public sector nurses and midwives it varies. There are some where we are down lowest. There are other points where we are not down lowest— Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council Deputy Premier Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Deputy Premier Attorney-General Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —but we will continue to negotiate in good faith with the union that represents these workers. Indeed, just yesterday we increased the offer that we previously made, but we are happy to continue those negotiations.