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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-09-24 Daily Xml
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NURSES AND MIDWIVES ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (15:23): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can the minister update the house on the nursing and midwifery enterprise bargaining agreement?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:23): I thank the member for Taylor for her interest in this very important issue. The state government and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch) have agreed on the terms of offer for the new enterprise agreement for South Australia's public sector nursing and midwifery employees.

The government and the ANMF have been working closely to reach an agreement that is fair and reasonable to all involved. Reaching agreement on the terms is great news for South Australia's patients and families, as well as nurses and midwives. The proposed agreement means patients continue to have access to high-quality nursing and midwifery care, and also recognises the tremendous effort and dedication that our nurses and midwives show every day.

It is very pleasing that we were able to reach agreement in such a short time, and I personally thank everyone involved for their effort and candour as part of these discussions. By offering attractive working conditions, including ongoing professional development for our nurses and midwives, we hope to keep South Australia as a leader in health care. Nurses and midwives from across the South Australian public healthcare system will be able to vote on the proposed enterprise agreement by ballot during October. Subject to that ballot, formal agreement will be sought from the Industrial Relations Commission of South Australia.

The new agreement includes a new staffing model for metropolitan and country health units and improvements to the professional development provisions for nurses and midwives. It will also provide the flexibility to continue to improve efficiency across the health system. Nurses and midwives would receive a general salary increase of 3 per cent per annum for the next three years, as well as a professional development allowance from July 2016.

Can I take this opportunity to commend CEO and secretary Elizabeth Dabars, Rob Bonner and all the team at the federation and the CEO of SA Health and his dedicated staff for their collective efforts to find a positive way through what were complex negotiations. South Australians will continue to enjoy the best nursing and midwifery care in the country, with South Australia setting the new staffing levels based on the best evidence available.

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