In the Far West of the state, a rally of about 40 nurses in Broken Hill town square got a warm reception from passers-by.

“Lots of people wanted to know more about our campaign,” said Joe Worgan, Assistant Secretary of the NSWNMA branch at Broken Hill Base Hospital.

Striking nurses displayed placards and banners with slogans such as: “More midwives safer babies” and “Patients over profits”.

Joe said ABC TV News and the local Barrier Truth newspaper gave the strike prominent coverage.

He said winning the ratios campaign was “a matter of raising public awareness, getting community backing and making the government aware that understaffing affects everyone”.

“On my medical ward we would normally have the FTE of eight or so senior RNs but now we are down to two or three.