Page 1254 - Week 04 - Thursday, 5 May 2022
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Minister Davidson said that such an inquiry may have validity in the future, but not now. My question to the minister is: if not now, when? Is it going to take more black eyes? Is it going to take more fractured wrists, more psychologists being thrown across desks, more fingers being squashed? My motion is about safety and security now, not the large inquiry. When?
Nurses are being belted every day—not every day, but they may be today. Have the health and safety reps actually been consulted? The last time I had a briefing, they had not. I believe that they put recommendations in. I could be wrong. My information could be out of date, I suppose. When will it be time to address the physical security measures, Minister? When will it be time?
Let us talk for a moment about what Mr Davis said about me being cheeky. What did he say? “Cooler heads and calmer minds.” Do you know what? There are no cooler heads and calmer minds at the moment because I spoke not just to the union but to nurses, and a grandma whose family say, “Please don’t go to work, when you come home with black eyes.”
It is not about the large inquiry. My motion today is not about that. And it is not about asking the committee, who have no expertise. We have no expertise. It is about asking the nurses what they need today. We have all been out there—those of us who are in the portfolio. They are weighed down with their pens and pencils; they have their button in case they get in trouble, and nothing is helping them. They are still getting belted. It is just not enough.
These are dangerous work conditions today, and they will be the same in 18 months time or whenever this inquiry is done. As I say, there was no, “We’ll do it in 18 months,” “We’ll do it in six months,” or “We’ll meet with the nurses today.” Because of that, I feel the need to ask the Assembly to shoot this off to the health committee so that they can consider it and get nurses in—and get in other people who are afraid to speak up—and ask what it is they need today until the inquiry has been completed. It is not unreasonable. It is not a headline, Mr Davis. It is not a second bite at the cherry.
We have people going to work. As I say, it is not like us here. We have a great work environment. It is lovely. We do not have emergency buzzers zipping along all day long so that your adrenalin is up for 100 per cent of the time. That is not what we live with today. But the nurses do.
As for the quote that I have been warned not to use, that was not mine, and it is distressing. It is the reality of the nurse that used that term. I am very sad today that these amendments have come forward and that there has not been interest from this Labor-Greens government in doing a little more than talking to protect the nurses that are on shift out there at Symonston right now. It could be your mum, or your brother and sister. I am not supporting the amendment. That is all I have to say.
Question put:
That the amendments be agreed to.
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