‘Mixed emotions’: Record pay rise for NSW nurses and midwives

A pay rise backdated to mid-2025 will hit the hip pockets of NSW nurses and midwives after the industry’s union won a landmark case before the Industrial Relations Commission on Thursday.

The commission has approved a pay rise of between 16 and 28 per cent for the state’s nurses and midwives.

Backdated to 1 July 2025, the three-year wage deal will comprise a reset increase between 10 and 22 per cent, followed by a 3 per cent increase from July 2026 and a further 3 per cent from July 2027.

This ruling scrapped the unfair wages cap proposed and restored the Industrial Relations Commission.

The case was won by the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) in the commission on Thursday (16 April), which filed the application in early 2025.

Despite the victory, NSWNMA general secretary Michael Whaites said the deal fell short of repairing the NSW public health system.

“In handing down its decision, the Full Bench highlighted that our members are essential, irreplaceable and ‘historically undervalued’ while also citing the commission’s obligation to consider the state of the NSW economy. This isn’t a reflection on the quality of our case, but rather an outcome of the arbitration process,” Whaites said.

He stressed that although the deal was a great income for enrolled nurses (a total rise of 18 per cent over three years) and assistants in nursing and midwifery (a total rise of 28 per cent over three years), it was not enough to fix the structural reform needed in NSW for registered nurses and midwives (a total rise of 16 per cent over three years).

NSWNMA assistant general secretary Katrina Bough stressed that the deal would not address cost-of-living pressures and workforce challenges.

According to the Jobs and Skills Australia website, women account for 72–99 per cent of the registered nurse job share across all specialities.

“Nurses and midwives are struggling to pay the bills in this cost-of-living crisis …. the deal doesn’t address the gap between male-dominated industries and our heavily feminised workforce,” Bough concluded.

This win comes off the back of two years of campaigning by NSWNMA members for higher wages.