30
August 2004
ANF launches election campaign
A
recent ANF survey shows that over 50% of nurses have not yet
decided how they will vote in the upcoming federal election,
and over 70% say they will be influenced by the political parties
policies.
'Nurses want to be able to provide high quality nursing care,
and because of that are calling for a government that will provide
a health system that is properly funded, universal and well coordinated;
an aged care system that truly values older people and the nurses
who care for them; and, a skilled and sustainable nursing workforce,'
ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe said.
To ensure these desired outcomes, nurses are calling for:
HEALTH
- an increase in the Medicare rebate by $7.50 across the board without any restrictions for all general medical practitioner services that are bulk billed;
- a review of the private health insurance rebate which costs Australian taxpayers $2.4 billion a year;
- the establishment of a public dental service for children under 16, pensioners, people with health care cards and people on low incomes; and,
- the establishment of Australian Health Reform Council to ensure the health system is integrated and coordinated.
AGED CARE
- the development of a mechanism to enable nurses and other care staff working in aged care to achieve and maintain wage parity with their public hospital colleagues;
- the establishment of minimum staffing levels for all nursing and other care classifications in aged care; and,
- an extension of the Australian Government scholarships for nurses working in aged care to urban areas.
NURSING
- the allocation of a minimum additional 1,100 dedicated fully funded HECS places in university undergraduate nursing programs each year for the next four years;
- an extension of the Australian Government postgraduate nursing scholarship program to urban areas, particularly in areas of acute specialist nursing shortage;
- an extension of the Australian Government re-entry and up-skilling scholarship program to urban areas; and,
- the establishment of the position of principal nurse advisor at Australian Government level.
'In
the recent ANF survey, 74% of nurse respondents said the way
they voted would be influenced by the policies of the political
parties,' Ms Iliffe said.
'These results send a clear message to politicians - many nurses
have not yet decided how they are going to vote and if political
parties want nurses' votes, they need to put forward policies
that respond to nurses' concerns.'
Media
inquiries:
Jill Iliffe, ANF Federal Secretary 0419 576 590
Ged Cowin, ANF Assistant Federal Secretary 0417 053 322
Heather Witham, ANF Federal Communications Officer 0417 359 907
The ANF, representing 140,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses in Australia.