Nurses and midwives across New South Wales have started receiving backdated payments following a pay agreement that will deliver increases ranging from 16 to 28 per cent over three years.
The payments follow a ruling by the Industrial Relations Commission in April and are being rolled out through payroll cycles, with full completion expected by 1 June 2026. The backpay is being calculated from 1 July 2025.
Under the new arrangements, registered nurses and midwives will receive a 16 per cent increase, enrolled nurses an 18 per cent increase, and assistants in nursing a 28 per cent increase. The structure of the deal brings higher increases earlier in the cycle, with additional staged rises in the following two years.
An interim 3 per cent rise was already applied last year, alongside adjustments to night shift penalties and changes aimed at improving work-life balance.
The Minns government says the changes follow the removal of the former wages cap and the rebuilding of the state’s Industrial Relations Commission, allowing pay to be independently determined again. It has framed the agreement as part of broader efforts to strengthen staffing and retention in the public health system.
Health workforce measures alongside the pay deal include the rollout of safe staffing levels in emergency departments, with more than 900 nurses already recruited, and expansion into other hospital wards including medical, surgical and specialist units. The government also points to the hiring of more than 5,000 nurses currently working in hospitals and support for training pathways through study subsidies.
Health Minister Ryan Park said the backpay reflects the contribution of nurses and midwives across the state’s health system, noting that payments will soon appear in pay packets as the rollout continues.
Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said the reforms follow years of wages restraint and are aimed at strengthening essential services, adding that gender considerations were now formally part of pay decision-making processes.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association has been involved in discussions around staffing and conditions as the changes are implemented across the system.
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