The Government’s announcement that it will enter pay equity talks with unions representing mental health workers is a positive move, says the Human Rights Commission.

Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Dr Jackie Blue says she is pleased to see that the previous Government’s decision, to not include mental health workers as part of the pay equity settlement, will be addressed.

“The Government’s decision to negotiate better pay outcomes for mental health and addiction workers is a sign that the fortunes of our undervalued support workers are changing. These are people who are assisting some of our country’s most vulnerable – they absolutely deserve to be paid fairly for their work.

“Last year’s pay equity settlement was a life-changing moment for aged-care workers, but leaving our mental health support workers out of that settlement was a mistake.

“The mental health sector is struggling to retain staff at a time when their services are so desperately needed. I hope that the outcomes of these negotiations deliver results that will see the sector properly resourced,” Dr Blue says.

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