Since August, almost 5,000 nurses in New Zealand have registered to work in Australia. Many of them are moving across the Tasman Sea to take up short-term contracts offering up to NZ$8,500 a week. While the remuneration is attractive, the nursing shortage in New Zealand is becoming a severe problem that contributes to delayed medical services in emergency departments and operating rooms. According to the Nurses Organisation kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku, registering to work in Australia takes a lot of effort, indicating that most of those who have done so already have one foot out the door.
Many Kiwi nurses are going to Australia for brief periods, leaving their families behind for a few weeks before returning home and going back again. While it’s not known how many have taken up work, the exodus is a serious concern for New Zealand, which needs all the nurses it can find. Fepulea’i Margie Apa, the CEO of Te Whatu Ora, said that if people took up jobs in Australia, the number of nurses who had registered would be a significant worry.
According to a Melbourne medical recruiter, short-term contracts in Australia range from AUD 3,500 to AUD 8,000 a week, depending on the length of the contract, seniority, and expertise, including allowances for working in a remote location. Although the Nurses Organisation is not blaming the nurses for taking advantage of the opportunity, the exodus is concerning since Māori nurses are already underrepresented, and the healthcare system is already experiencing a shortage of 4,000 nurses. The Nurses Organisation wants funding for nurses to be specifically allocated in the current year’s budget, but it remains to be seen whether cabinet members will agree with Te Whatu Ora’s recommendation for staff funding.
