I formally finished working in Aotearoa on August 6. Since then, I’ve been nursing in Australia. Yes, I made the move and I’m furious.
Furious at Te Whatu Ora and the New Zealand Government for gutting nursing so thoroughly. The working conditions and pay for Kiwi nurses who choose to stay are, frankly, appalling compared to what I’ve experienced here.
Let me be clear: Australia’s health-care system isn’t perfect. I’ve already seen things here that make me go: “Hmm, nope, don’t like that.” But nursing here feels safer, more rewarding and more sustainable.
Back in New Zealand, I worked on a cardiology medical ward with an average nurse-to-patient ratio of 5:1 — occasionally 4:1 on a “good” day. In the emergency department (ED), it wasn’t unusual to see three or four nurses covering 15 patients in a monitored area.
Compare that to a recent shift I did in an Aussie short-stay unit: 14 patients, four assigned nurses, plus a float nurse — that’s nearly one nurse to three patients. The difference in care quality and safety is stark. Not one patient complained about delays.
Te Whatu Ora has finally admitted to hiding the dire state of staffing, but acknowledgment alone isn’t enough. They’ve yet to take meaningful steps to retain nurses or improve conditions.
Let’s talk pay.
Every Australian state has its own nursing pay scale. New South Wales, the closest to New Zealand in dollar terms, pays around A$52 per hour at the top of the scale. Converted, that’s about NZ$58 — seemingly better, until you factor in the extras: Daily clothing, laundry, and uniform allowances, plus significant loadings for travel.
Even in the worst-paying states, Aussie nurses come out ahead. In Queensland, registered nurses can earn upwards of $80 per hour doing contract work. And the cost of living? Cheaper. So even if the pay isn’t dazzling, it stretches further.
So yes, Te Whatu Ora has admitted wrongdoing. But they haven’t committed to fixing it. And unless we keep the pressure on, they’ll keep dodging accountability.
I don’t want to be stuck here forever. Home is where my whānau is. I want to come back. So please—keep fighting. From across the ditch, I can see the cracks forming.