The election of the Albanese Federal Government is a win for the aged care sector and represents a significant milestone for our national campaign to fix the crisis.
Some important things are happening right now to reform the sector and implement some of the important recommendations of the Aged Care Royal Commission...
15% increase to award wages coming
Thanks to the ANMF and QNMU's case in the Fair Work Commission, the award base wages of aged care nurses and AINs/carers will increase by 15%, with the possibility of further increases to come. This will be the biggest increase to aged care award wages in decades.
Click here to read more about the aged care pay rise.
RN 24/7, minimum care minutes and funding transparency become law
On 27 October 2022, the Federal Government’s ‘Implementing Care Bill’ has passed through the parliament, and will now go on to become law.
The bill legislates for:
- Mandated 215 minimum care minutes
- Registered Nurses 24/7
- Financial transparency and accountability on public funding.
This is the beginning of real reform. Change isn’t going to happen overnight, but change does start with the right laws in place and having a Federal Government that is committed to fixing the problem. And that’s exactly what we’ve been campaigning over many years for.
This kind of reform doesn’t happen without significant public support. Thank you to the countless QNMU Activists and aged care nurses and carers who have spoken out on the situation in aged care. Your voices have been heard, and it’s thanks to you that aged care has become the national issue it is today.
We will have more to say soon on how and when these reforms will be implemented, so stay tuned.
Rest assured, our campaign for aged care does not end here. The QNMU will now ensure the new government works in collaboration and consultation with nurses and midwives to deliver on these commitments.