NSW Government lifts wages and recognises health workers

The NSW Government announced a new public sector wages policy to provide increased pay for public sector employees including nurses, teachers and paramedics.

The new two-year policy provides among the highest public sector wages growth in the country with employees offered a 3.0 per cent remuneration increase per annum in 2022-23 and 2023-24, with a possible further 0.5 per cent on offer in 2023-24 for employees that

make a substantial contribution to productivity enhancing reforms. This provides for remuneration increases of up to 6.5 per cent over two years under the new policy.

The policy will apply to new industrial agreements that are struck from 1 July 2022.

In addition, a one-off payment of $3,000 will be provided to employees in the NSW Health Service in recognition of their work on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The payment covers paramedics, midwives, cleaners and all other permanent staff employed by the NSW Health Service.

Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the new wages policy which continues the NSW Government’s record of strengthening frontline services.

“A strong public service is essential to delivering what matters to make daily life better,” Mr Perrottet said.

“Our sound economic management allows us to invest in our people through higher wages and more frontline workers and continue to deliver the best services in the country and a brighter economic future for the people of NSW.”

Treasurer Matt Kean said the increase in wages was fair and sustainable in the current economic climate.

“NSW is currently enjoying the lowest unemployment on record and it is important to maintain competitive wages to attract and retain the best talent. In the context of a strong and growing economy this two-year increase to wages is an affordable and sensible policy.”

Minister for Employee Relations Damien Tudehope said a $3,000 one-off payment to Health workers was recognition of a workforce that has stepped up above and beyond.

“The health workforce went to extraordinary lengths during the pandemic and has earned the admiration and gratitude of the entire state,” Mr Tudehope said.

The new wages policy has been developed to support productivity enhancing reforms and modernisation of the public service.

“To deliver the best public services we need to adapt to new technology and ways of working. In this wages policy we are putting additional pay increases on the table for workplace reforms that deliver better outcomes for the public – a win for workers and the community.” Mr Tudehope said.

The Government’s position is to limit executive remuneration increases to 2.0 per cent in the next year.