Aged care workers, including NSWNMA members, are praised by government ministers and other MPs in federal parliament.
A delegation led by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) – the national union body, which includes the NSWNMA – went to Parliament House in Canberra in October to lobby for the Aged Care Bill, which is now law.
During debate on the bill, Labor, Greens and independent MPs praised the ANMF and individual nurses for their hard work to achieve reform.
Aged Care Minister, Anika Wells, said that “seven proud ANMF nurses” and two United Workers Union aged care workers had met with parliamentarians “to tell us what it is like in aged care.”
She added: “I know that people here would want me to acknowledge Glen, Stephanie, Sharon, Stuart, Alison, Rachel and Juliane, who came to tell us, and the frontline workers who are watching on, and really hoping that we act as swiftly as we have so far.
“Thank you for all those shifts that you did in PPE. Thank you for all those times that you came in on your day off because there was no-one else to do it.
“Thank you for all those times that you stopped and held a hand and checked in and cared, even though you had 67 other things that you needed to be doing.
“We see you and we thank you and we recognise you, and today we made laws in this place that value your work.”
Labor Senator Murray Watt, the agriculture minister, thanked ANMF officials and singled out NSWNMA member Glen O’Driscoll, whom he described as “an aged care nurse who I know has been very involved in the discussions around this bill.”
Senator Watt continued: “Thank you for representing the many thousands of nurses who work in aged care and have needed, for a long time, a government that backed them and provided the support that they deserve so they can fully care for our older Australians, and thank you for your participation in this really important bill.”
Greens Senator Janet Rice praised the ANMF for its “crucial advocacy and commitment” to aged care reform.
She thanked Glen O’Driscoll and fellow NSWNMA member Stephanie Sullivan, who were part of the nurses’ delegation to parliament.
Senator Rice said: “One of the things he (Glen) said to me yesterday stuck with me. He said the number one thing that was going to make a difference to the older people he cares for was having more eyes, more feet and more hearts on duty.”
Independent Senator David Pocock also acknowledged the work of the ANMF and the nurses who came to Canberra to lobby MPs.
“We’re now realising what a precious resource nurses are and how much catch-up work we need to do to value them,” Senator Pocock said