Last year, on the International Day of the Midwife (IDM), I participated in a rally at my hospital and spoke to the media and public about the theme of IDM “100 years of progress” and the lack of progress we had seen due to neglect by the state Liberal-National government.

I spoke about how we were still fighting for fair pay, ratios and to make our babies count. I spoke about how we were trying to celebrate a wonderful and rewarding profession, but we were feeling burnt-out, over-worked and under-appreciated by an outdated system that the previous government seemed happy to ignore and would constantly tell us was working.

Yet over the last 12 months of hard campaigning with the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) for our right to fair pay, ratios and making our babies count, I have witnessed the public becoming more aware of the difficulties that all healthcare workers have been facing in the public healthcare system. And these difficulties aren’t new issues, these issues have been prevalent for an extended period of time but have been neglected by the former liberal government for 12 long years.

I have felt wonder at watching the public put pressure on the state candidates in the lead up to the election to make them accountable for the state of the healthcare system and the improvements it so desperately needs.

So, this year, the theme for IDM is “Together Again – from evidence to reality” which I feel will hopefully reflect the ongoing collaboration between the NSWNMA and the Labor government.

With the announcement of the “Safe Staffing Working Group” by the Labor government to look at the implementation of the safe staffing levels aka RATIOS across our hospitals and with the local branches of the NSWNMA voting ‘yes’ for our 2023 PHS Award Claim, it gives me hope that the evidence backed ratios system will start to become a reality.

While we understand that it will take time for the new safe staffing levels to become a reality, I am hopeful for the first time in a long while, that the new Labor government will keep its promise to support its nurses and midwives and the need for ratios, fair pay and to make our babies count.

– Jessica Plater, NSWNMA John Hunter Hospital & John Hunter Children’s Hospital Branch delegate and midwife