Page 1147 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 May 2006
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To summarise that: federal government funding, which has been in part meant to address this problem of wage disparity between aged care nursing and other nursing specialities, does not go through a clear track so that providers—and more and more there are for-profit providers making money out of aged care—are not necessarily making sure that that money goes towards increasing the quality of nursing but a certain percentage of it is going into profits.
Finally, in April last year, the ABC reported on the fact that aged care nurses in the ACT have been demanding pay parity with their New South Wales counterparts. It was my reading of this that made me wonder about the role of the ACT in this issue of pay parity. The Industrial Relations Commission recently gave aged care nurses in the state health system a 25 per cent pay rise over three years. The Australian Nursing Federation’s Paula Goodwin says that nurses will be discouraged from working in Canberra’s aged care facilities if they are not given a similar increase. She says:
I’m sure it would discourage people from working in the ACT and it doesn’t do much for the morale of those who do choose to work here. Why are their colleagues over the border in Queanbeyan or Yass being paid a different rate than they are?
She says that members are now hoping to begin a new round of enterprise bargaining in the ACT. She also says:
We’re planning a strategy now and we intend to meet with our membership to endorse a log of claims within the next two weeks and we intend to go for parity with the New South Wales wage rates.
I hope that Ms Porter will report on the progress of that when she sums up. Perhaps someone else from the government can address this issue of the ACT government’s role in trying to seek pay parity for ACT aged care nurses, not only with nurses in other sectors but also with aged care nurses outside our borders.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Minister for Health, Minister for Disability and Community Services and Minister for Women) (4.55): I rise to speak in support of this motion from Ms Porter. As both the Minister for Health and minister for ageing, I have a keen interest in ensuring our elderly citizens are looked after appropriately and that the wonderful nurses that care for them are suitably paid and supported. All members of the Assembly would agree that we must care for our elderly citizens in a fit and proper way.
The community expects that the care and treatment provided in residential aged care facilities are safe and are of an acceptably high standard. Unfortunately, increasing evidence shows the federal government is not addressing its responsibilities in the aged care sector.
Already in this place today we have discussed the issues of childcare. Again, despite a massive surplus and a booming national economy, we in the Assembly are discussing needs for resources and appropriate care of some of the most disadvantaged members of our society. Evidence shows that insufficient numbers of nursing staff will lead to a likely increase in injuries. In short, cuts in wages and conditions put at risk the care of older members of our community.
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