Also joining them were State MPs Jihad Dib (Lakemba) and Sophie Cotsis (Canterbury), who also called for the urgent “redevelopment of Canterbury Hospital, a key pillar in the post-pandemic economic plan for south-west Sydney”.
“The NSW Government must take immediate action to provide better facilities and better pay for the thousands of health staff who have been on the frontlines battling the Delta and Omicron outbreaks,” Ms Cotsis said.
“It is a disgrace nurses and midwives have been left with no option but to take industrial action following the failure of this Government to address the needs of our health workers who have been battling this pandemic for two years.”
She said the Canterbury Hospital upgrade could create hundreds of jobs and new long-term job opportunities in fields including medicine, healthcare, science and technology, while meeting the needs of the area’s growing population.
Mr Dib said he was proud to stand with these “true heroes of our community” and the Government must listen to their concerns about pay and conditions.
“That is the very least they can do,” he said.
“Over the past two years, more than any other time, we have seen the incredible dedication of our nurses.”
A NSW Health spokesperson says there are more nurses and midwives in NSW public hospitals than at any other time in history.
“Since the start of the pandemic, NSW Health has engaged in forward planning with clinicians to ensure our hospitals have capacity to care for Covid-19 patients and meet workforce surges if required,” he said.
Call for more staff, pay rise
NURSES and midwives from Bankstown and Canterbury Hospitals were among the thousands dressed in scrubs and face masks who marched on NSW parliament, demanding more staff and a pay increase, last week.