What are the major parties promising nurses, midwives and carers and their patients and residents?

15 November 2018

Each Victorian election, the ANMF presents the major political parties’ policies relevant to health, nurses, midwives, carers and mental health nurses. The policies of the Victorian Labor Party, the Victorian Liberal/Nationals Parties, and the Victorian Greens are below for your consideration. The information is published as provided to the ANMF without amendments.

Only the Victorian Labor Party has made a commitment to improve and introduce new nurse/ midwife to patient ratios in public health services in the next term of government from 2018 to 2022.

It is worth remembering what happened to the Andrews Government’s Safe Patient Care Act 2015 amendment Bill to remove the ’50 per cent rule’ and introduce new and improved ratios from March 2019 .

The Victorian lower house passed the Bill on 6 September 2018. It was on the agenda of the Victorian upper house on 20 September 2018. It was the final sitting day. Timing was tight, but possible. After hours of opposition MPs indulging in long, unproductive speeches and filibustering, Families and Children Minister Jenny Mikakos moved a motion to extend the sitting past midnight to debate the ratios amendment bill. The motion was lost. Twenty opposition and minor party MPs voted against working past midnight to debate the bill. Below are the names of the MPs who voted to debate the ratio amendments and those who voted against debating the ratio amendments.

The upper house members who voted NO to working past midnight to debate the bill to improve nursing and midwifery ratios and improve patient care were:

Bruce Atkinson, Liberal Party; Melina Bath, Liberal Party; Jeff Bourman, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party Victoria; Dr Rachel Carling-Jenkins, Independent; Georgie Crozier, Liberal Party; Richard Dalla-Riva, Liberal Party; David Davis, Liberal Party; Bernie Finn, Liberal Party; Margaret Fitzherbert, Liberal Party; Wendy Lovell, Liberal Party; Joshua Morris, Liberal Party; Edward O’Donohue, Liberal Party; Craig Ondarchie, Liberal Party; Luke O’Sullivan, The Nationals; Inga Peulich, Liberal Party; James Purcell, Vote 1 Local Jobs; Simon Ramsay, Liberal Party; Gordon Rich-Phillips, Liberal Party; Mary Wooldridge, Liberal Party; Daniel Young, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party Victoria

The upper house members who voted YES to working past midnight to debate the bill to improve nursing and midwifery ratios and improve patient care were:

Philip Dalidakis, Australian Labor Party; Samantha Dunn, Victorian Greens; Khalil Eideh, Australian Labor Party; Nazih Elasmar, Australian Labor Party; Mark Gepp, Australian Labor Party; Gavin Jennings, Australian Labor Party; Shaun Leane, Australian Labor Party; Cesar Melhem, Australian Labor Party; Jenny Mikakos, Australian Labor Party; Daniel Mulino, Australian Labor Party; Fiona Patten, Fiona Patten’s Reason Party; Sue Pennicuik, Victorian Greens; Jaala Pulford, Australian Labor Party; Dr Samantha Ratnam, Victorian Greens; Harriet Shing, Australian Labor Party; Adem Somyurek, Australian Labor Party; Nina Springle, Victorian Greens; Jaclyn Symes, Australian Labor Party; Gayle Tierney, Australian Labor Party; Huong Troung, Australian Labor Party

Victorian Hansard (page 5240) recording of the vote on extending the upper house sitting past midnight to continue debating the ratios amendment Bill on 20 September 2018. The motion was lost.

Authorised by Lisa Fitzpatrick, Secretary, ANMF (Vic Branch), 535 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.

ELECTION POLICIES

Please consider these policies provided to ANMF. Please also consider the party’s record when you vote on Saturday 24 November 2018 for the next Victorian government.