Nurses reject Crisafulli’s claim wage offer is ‘nation leading’

16 hours ago 3

Premier David Crisafulli insists the industrial offer to nurses and midwives sets out “nation-leading wages”, but the union accused the government of gaslighting workers and has confirmed stronger protected action will kick off on Tuesday.

The premier said nurses and midwives employed by Queensland Health had been offered nation-leading pay conditions and that the budget, handed down last week, reflects the government’s commitment to the sector and is in line with a key election promise.

Premier David Crisafulli has rebuffed claims the public sector offer breaks an election promise to health workers, insisting they are “nation-leading pay conditions”.

“We are determined to make sure that we deliver what we said we’re going to do [before the election], and that is making sure those nurses do have nation-leading pay conditions,” Crisafulli said.

“We will continue to sit down at the table and do it in a spirit that shows that we respect what they do.”

The state government revealed its public sector wages offer earlier this year, with 3 per cent in April 2025, 2.5 per cent in April 2026 and 2027, and an extra 3 per cent in December 2027.

But the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU) said 66.7 per cent of nurses and midwives would be paid less than their Victorian counterparts by the end of the agreement and demanded the offer be increased.

The union also called for measures to address gender pay equity and workforce shortages.

Though the QNMU has met with the state government 36 times in the last six months, an agreement between the parties has not been reached.

As a result, the union began small-scale industrial action in early June, and confirmed on Wednesday they would commence Stage 2 protected industrial action from Tuesday.

Union members employed by Queensland Health can choose to undertake a range of actions, including declining overtime without four hours’ notice, refusing data entry, and forgoing tasks such as making beds, emptying rubbish bins and cleaning equipment.

QNMU secretary Sarah Beaman said members had been left with no choice but to commence further protected industrial action.

“We have spent more than 150 hours in negotiations outlining a pathway for the government to ensure Queensland recruits, retains and respects its nurses and midwives,” Beaman said.

“Nurses and midwives are holding the system together ... without us, it doesn’t function.”

QNMU members at the Labor Day march in Brisbane.

Beaman said the stage 2 action was designed to inconvenience the government but would not put the community’s safety at risk.

“The actions are not strikes or walking off the job … This is about making sure the government takes us seriously,” she said.

The Crisafulli government’s budget handed down last week included $4.7 billion for hospital expenditure and $116.8 billion for health services, plus 4500 extra health workers.

The premier described it as a record budget, but said there is also a need to show financial restraint.

“Part of [the budget] involves making sure that we have the financial capacity to retain those nurses and respect them, but also employ a whole heap more of them,” Crisafulli said.

“That’s the balance we’re seeking to find.”