Liberals don’t value nurses now, $700 million of cuts will make it worse

The Tasmanian Liberal Government’s failure to deliver a pay offer to nurses after almost six months of negotiations is more evidence it doesn’t value the life-saving contribution our healthcare workers make every day.

After 13 years of the Liberals, nurses – along with every other health care professional working in the overstretched system – are facing ever increasing pressures at work.

These pressures lead to stress and burnout, and have ultimately contributed to many leaving the profession – which only adds even more stress to hospitals and clinics.

Paying Tasmanian nurses fairly is the best way to stem the rate of them being lured to better paying jobs elsewhere.

It is impossible to see how things are going to get better for our nurses or the Tasmanian patients they care for while Health Minister Bridget Archer lets Eric Abetz cut $700 million from the system.