Overview
- Nurses and midwives in New South Wales won major pay increases Thursday after the state’s Industrial Relations Commission found their work had been historically undervalued.
- The award grants 16% over three years for registered nurses and midwives with a 10% first‑year reset, 18% for enrolled nurses with a 12% first‑year jump, and 28% for assistants with a 22% first‑year rise, all backdated to July 1, 2025.
- The Minns government said it will implement the decision, with Health Minister Ryan Park confirming the state will uphold the Industrial Relations Commission’s verdict.
- The commission flagged budget pressure, stating any raise must be debt‑funded and estimating each 1% increase will cost about $74.5 million a year, which could limit other services and infrastructure.
- About 60,000 to 69,000 public‑sector nurses and midwives are covered, closing a two‑year dispute that included three statewide strikes in 2024 and an interim 3% rise while the case was heard.