The problem of lower rates of pay in Victoria compared to NSW and Queensland will not go away even if we get an offer which is equitable compared to RNs. Rates of pay for scientists, dietitians, perfusionists, physicists and clinical psychologists are so far behind those in NSW that a 6.6% increase will make very little difference. Salaries for entry level clinical psychologists is Victoria are 20% behind NSW rates, as are Grade 1 rates of pay for medical scientists and dietitians. Grade 1 perfusionists are 56% behind NSW rates. These comparisons can be viewed in the member only pages of the website.

All of these rates result from work value cases in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. Medical physicists were awarded huge increases which the NSW government appealed. The NSW IRC will hand down its decision on the appeal this Friday. Watch this space.

The Brumby government needs to address the problem of interstate differential in pay; otherwise the Victorian health system will collapse with the exodus of staff interstate or overseas. The short term budget ‘gain’ of keeping pay low will lead to the decimation of the Victorian health system.