19 October 2007

Latest new Australian senior doctor settlement

"New Zealand health bosses must wake up to threat of latest massive australian senior doctor settlement"

"The government and district health board bosses must wake up to the threat to New Zealand of the latest massive senior doctor collective agreement settlement in Australia," said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell is attending an Australian Medical Association convened industrial coordination meeting in Canberra where the details of a recent Western Australia settlement were reported. Senior doctor national collective negotiations resume on 24-25 October after commencing nearly 17 months ago.

"There has been a massive increase to salaries in order to encourage Western Australian senior doctors to remain in the state and to recruit more from the rest of Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the world. It is in response to earlier big salary increases in New South Wales, Victoria and especially Queensland."

"Over three years the total increases to base salary steps and a universal supplementary allowance will add up to increases between over $91,000(A) to nearly $98,000(A); 45% to 50%."

"Under this settlement first year full-time senior doctors in Western Australia will now earn a basic salary over $70,000(A) more than first year senior doctors in New Zealand. In their ninth year this huge gap will widen to a massive $102,000(A)."

"New Zealand is already losing an average of one senior doctor a week to Australia. This trend is now at risk of increasing. Furthermore, it will be a no brainer where senior doctors that we seek to recruit from outside Australia and New Zealand will be attracted to."

"If New Zealand health bosses continue to ignore this reality and senior doctor shortages worsen, they will be putting patient care in peril," concluded Mr Powell.

ENDS