The Queensland government has reached a new pay deal with the state’s nurses after months of negotiations.
The move comes after more than a year of negotiations. In June Queensland nurses and midwives began protected industrial action.
The government says the new deal will be ‘nation leading’. It believes the deal will help attract more nurses and midwives to the state. It will also reward them for the significant contribution they make to the state.
So what does the deal include, and what are the next steps?
What does the new deal include?
• An 11 per cent increase in wages over the next three years: This will include a 3 per cent pay rise backpaid from April this year, a 2.5 per cent pay rise in each of the next two years and a 3 per cent pay rise in December 2027. This is the biggest wage increase for the state’s nurses and midwives since 2012.
• Overtime paid at double time for all shift workers
• Increase in allowances for rural and regional nurses
• 14 weeks of paid parental leave
The deal also includes provisions for higher pay if inflation is higher than forecast. Also featured is the ability to increase part-time hours and request permanent night shifts and job shares. These measures aim to not only improve pay but also create more flexibility for nurses who juggle demanding professional and family commitments. For rural and regional hospitals, the additional allowances could help address the difficulty of attracting staff to remote locations, which has been a longstanding challenge for Queensland Health.
What has been the reaction?
The Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union said the new deal was a significant improvement on two previous offers which were ultimately rejected.
Sarah Beaman is the secretary of the union.
“The bargaining consensus achieved at the table includes major improvements to conditions and, importantly, protects existing rights and entitlements,” she said in an interview with The Australian.
“This has been a long journey for our members, and after months of industrial action and hundreds of hours of negotiations, we’ve secured an offer that better respects the work nurses and midwives do every day across Queensland Health”.
The announcement has been broadly welcomed across the sector, with many observers pointing out that improved wages and conditions are essential to retaining experienced staff and addressing burnout. Workforce shortages have been an ongoing issue, particularly since the pandemic placed added pressure on healthcare services. Experts note that initiatives such as these will be crucial if Queensland is to remain competitive with other states and territories that are also trying to attract skilled health professionals.
What are the next steps?
The Queensland Nurses & Midwives Union will hold feedback sessions with their members this week. Following this they will hold a survey to decide whether the deal is worth voting on. While this process is occurring, industrial action will remain on pause. However, nurses and midwives have raised the possibility of resuming industrial action if negotiations do not continue in a positive manner.
This new agreement highlights the growing importance of skilled professionals in healthcare and the value placed on their work. If you are considering a career in Queensland nursing, having the right application documents can make a big difference.
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Article References
Hall, J & Dennien, M (29 August 2025) ‘Qld nurses poised to strike deal with Crisafulli government’, Brisbane Times, accessed 1 September 2025.
Richards, S (29 August 2025) ‘Queensland government and nurses and midwives reach pay agreement after months of negotiations’, ABC News, accessed 1 September 2025.
Scott, M (29 August 2025) ‘Queensland nurses and midwives strike pay deal’, The Australian, accessed 1 September 2025.