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A Minns Labor Government is continuing with its long term plan to redesign and repair the structure of the New South Wales health system by introducing minimum and enforceable safe staffing levels to public hospitals, starting with emergency departments.

The proposal will see an additional 1,200 nurses and midwives recruited into the system (above the government’s additional recruits outlined in 2022-23 NSW State Budget) within the first four years of a Labor Government, at a cost of $175 million.

Minimum and enforceable Safe Staffing Levels will start in Emergency Departments and be subsequently rolled out into other areas including ICUs, maternity wards, and Multi-Purpose Services in a staged approach and in consultation with healthcare professionals.

Under the proposal, hospitals will maintain safe nursing or midwifery staffing levels on a shift-by-shift basis, based on an area of care or speciality type; as well as treatment spaces or beds.

Nurses and midwives have long been calling for workforce reform, even before the emergence of COVID-19. However, the pandemic presented a breaking point for nurses, paramedics, hospital cleaners, allied health professionals, security guards and other health care heroes.  

Hospitals that have been overwhelmed, under-resourced and severely neglected by the NSW Liberals and Nationals – particularly in Western Sydney, and regional and rural NSW – will benefit significantly from these landmark reforms.

After 12 years under the NSW Liberal and National Government, Western Sydney and regional and rural NSW have seen a deterioration of access to health services, including increased emergency department wait times, and delays in life-changing surgery.

Across the state, 42.9 per cent of the most critical emergency department patients did not have their treatment start on time – the highest on record since Bureau of Health Information reporting began in 2010.

In Western Sydney, this figure was a staggering two thirds (66.3 per cent) of urgent Western Sydney emergency department presentations not starting start on time.

Meanwhile, across the state, 76,117 patients left emergency departments without completing treatment – or one in 10. This is the highest number on record and a 68 per cent jump in just three years.

Research by tertiary qualified healthcare professionals, has shown safe staffing levels deliver better care, and are more cost effective. 

The changes will be implemented by converting the existing Nursing Hours Per Patient Day staffing requirement into minimum and enforceable Safe Staffing Levels within the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award.

Chris Minns, NSW Labor Leader:

Our health system was in crisis before the pandemic, but after getting us through multiple waves of COVID-19, we owe it to our health workers to fix this.

“After more than a decade of the NSW Liberals and Nationals in government, our health system needs structural repair.

“Experienced nurses and midwives are either dropping their working hours or worse, leaving the system altogether because they’re not supported enough in the workplace and see the workloads as untenable.

“These changes will see more health staff retained, working in areas that need them the most, and it means better outcomes for patients and the level of care they will receive in New South Wales.”

Ryan Park, NSW Shadow Minister for Health:

“Our health system doesn’t have a recruitment problem, it has a retention problem, because our hospitals are overstretched and under-resourced.  

“After 12 years of neglect of our health system, the people of New South Wales rightly don’t trust the Liberals and Nationals to turn things around at the 11th hour.

“The first phase is a $150 million commitment to fund an additional 500 paramedics in Labor’s first term, to ease the burden of chronic paramedic shortages and the unprecedented strain on our rural and regional health system.” 

Daniel Mookhey, NSW Shadow Treasurer:

“NSW Labor has spent the better part of 7 months sitting down respectfully at the table, negotiating in good faith with the workforce.

“It shows what’s possible when you’re prepared to listen to our health care heroes instead of insulting them.

“This model is affordable within the fiscal environment, after 12 years of waste, debt and deficit under the NSW Liberals and Nationals.”

On behalf of NSW Labor we extend our condolences and thoughts to the family and friends on the passing of prominent Wiradjuri woman, Aunt Neita Scott.

Aunt Neita was committed to improving the lives of her people through her long commitment to Land Rights, her extensive work in Aboriginal housing and in her home community of Narromine.

Neita Scott became the NSWALC Councillor for the Central Region in 1988 to 1995 and served as Secretary of the Council from 1989 to 1995. Aunt Neita was Treasurer of the Narromine Local Aboriginal Land Council for more than two decades and Chairperson of Narromine LALC for many years. Neita advocated for Land Rights on the world stage, representing NSWALC at the United Nations in Geneva on several occasions and was awarded NSWALC’s inaugural “40 Years Strong” Chairperson’s Award in 2017.

She was a Board Member at the Aboriginal Housing Office, a member of the Aboriginal Housing Development Committee, as well as a Member of the Premier’s Council for Women, the Rural Women’s Advisory Council and Narromine Health Council.

Aunt Neita was a giant of the Lands Rights Movement and we acknowledge her huge contribution.

Offenders who refuse to provide information or assistance to locate their victim’s remains cannot be granted parole, under new “no body no parole” laws.
 
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the government’s proposed Bill would mean offenders must co-operate with investigators and disclose the location of remains for any chance of release on parole.
 
“We will make it impossible for offenders who willfully and deliberately refuse to disclose information about their victim’s remains, to be granted parole,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“Being unable to locate a loved one’s body is extremely distressing and traumatic for the families and friends of victims and it denies a victim the dignity of being laid to rest appropriately.
 
“These laws are to stop inmates convicted of murder or homicide offences from getting parole unless they co-operate with police to end the torment of families and return to them the remains of their loved ones.”
 
The proposed reform will mean the State Parole Authority (SPA) must not grant parole unless it concludes the offender has cooperated satisfactorily in identifying the victim’s location.
 
Under the reforms, the SPA must rely on written advice from the Commissioner of NSW Police Force and other relevant information to determine whether the offender has co-operated satisfactorily to identify a victim’s location.
 
Corrections Minister Geoff Lee said the reforms are modelled on laws in other jurisdictions and would apply to all current and future inmates in NSW to capture convicted offenders who have not yet been considered for parole.
 
“Any offender in prison coming up for parole should really think hard about maintaining their refusal to cooperate with police if they want to retain their prospects of getting parole,” Dr Lee said.

Parents across NSW will soon have more accessible and affordable quality childcare with legislation for the up to $5 billion Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund to be introduced to Parliament this week.
 
The Fund brings the NSW Government a step closer to delivering on its $15.9 billion commitment announced in the 2022-23 NSW Budget to transform the lives of families across the State.
 
Legislating the Fund guarantees NSW families can enjoy the benefits of this important initiative for decades to come, and gives long-term certainty to the childcare sector.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the NSW Government’s early childhood education reforms are estimated to boost affordable childcare supply by up to 47,000 places when combined with changes to the Commonwealth Childcare Subsidy.
 
“This landmark investment will give our children the best start in life, support the parents who need it most and help women return to paid work when they want,” Mr Kean said.
 
“The NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund Bill 2022 will help give more people in our State the opportunity to choose both a career and a family by easing cost of living pressures.
“These nation-leading reforms are also estimated to close the gender workforce participation gap by up to 14 per cent and increase household incomes by up to $4,400 on average within a decade.”
 
Mr Kean said the Fund, delivered alongside the Commonwealth’s childcare reforms, is expected to allow up to 95,000 women to enter the workforce or take on more hours.
 
Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the Fund adds to other measures announced in the Budget to improve women’s economic opportunity, boost their workplace participation and tackle the gender pay gap.
 
“This Fund will help break the childcare drought by targeting areas with limited access and trialling new service models to meet the needs of modern families,” Mrs Taylor said.
 
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the Fund will provide opportunities for the early childhood sector to grow, be innovative to the needs of families and support children with the highest quality education and care.
 
“Enshrining this in law will guarantee investment in the sector and improve quality in both infrastructure and the workforce. We’ll continue to work with providers on the Fund’s rollout to best support the formative years of children’s lives,” Ms Mitchell said.
 
Over the next decade the NSW Government is spending $15.9 billion on childcare and early education, including:
 

• Up to $5 billion over 10 years to establish the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund.
• $5.8 billion over 10 years to introduce a high-quality universal pre-Kindergarten year for all children in NSW in the year before school by 2030.
• $1.4 billion over four years to provide affordable preschool.
• $64.1 million to increase participation of 3 year olds in preschool in long day care settings.
• $281.6 million over four years to increase the number, quality and retention of early childhood educators and teachers – the package includes early childhood teacher higher education scholarships of up to $25,000, Vocational Education and Training scholarships of up to $2,000 and employer supplements for staff retention.
• $111.2 million over four years for developmental checks in preschools in both metro and rural areas as part of the Brighter Beginnings initiative.
• $24.7 million over four years to build system stewardship capability and offer more tailored support and guidance to early childhood education and care service providers.
• $37.9 million over three years to improve access to before and after-school care services.

People wanting to experience the world will now be able to enjoy everything other cultures have to offer at home, thanks to the NSW Government offering million-dollar investments into major council-run cultural festivals and events. 
 
Grant funding of up to $500,000 a year for two years is now available for local councils across the state’s Six Cities to host major cultural events in partnership with the NSW Government.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said this partnership will benefit the state’s Six Cities Regions, including celebrating our rich diversity, driving tourism and boosting local economies. 
 
“We are talking about working with councils to host events that will attract tens of thousands of people from far and wide that want to experience our state’s diverse cultures,” Mr Perrottet said. 
 
“By partnering with councils, we will be able to support them cater for bigger crowds, which will benefit their local economies and especially small businesses.”
 
This funding has been made available thanks to the NSW’s 2022-23 Budget, which saw a record $28 million invested into the state’s multicultural future.
 
Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said cultural events help celebrate NSW’s greatest asset—its people.
 
“Councils in our major cities all have a major event that is synonymous with their local community, whether it be Lunar New Year, the Mid Autumn Festival, Ramadan, Diwali or even Christmas,” Mr Coure said.
 
“Every year, people wait in anticipation for those events to enjoy the vibrancy, the colour and the culture they are known for. That is the beauty of our multiculturalism—you don’t need to travel overseas to experience other cultures. You can do it right here in NSW.”
  
All councils across the state’s Six Cities are eligible to apply to support existing major cultural events or to establish a new one. 
 
Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman said councils understand local needs, and were best placed to drive social and cultural events.
 
“Local Councils are the level of government closest to the community, so the NSW Government working directly with councils in our six cities will ensure these celebrations benefit their communities directly,” Mrs Tuckerman said. 
 
“By partnering with councils, we are boosting local cultural celebrations led by local leaders, helping to cater for bigger crowds so tourists can experience everything their city has to offer.” 
 
The Six Cities Regions comprise of the Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle City, Central Coast City, Illawarra-Shoalhaven City, Western Parkland City, Central River City and Eastern Harbour City.
 
Successful councils can use the funding for festivals held in 2023 and 2024. Successful councils must partner with the NSW Government and co-fund to host events. Applications are now open and close on Friday, 7 October. For more information, visit www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au