Covid-19 and Healthcare Workers

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-112273

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

Covid-19 and Healthcare Workers

Mr BRAD HAZZARD (WakehurstMinister for Health and Medical Research) (17:00):

—:21 I move:

That this House acknowledges the ongoing efforts of our frontline health workers throughout the COVID‑19 pandemic and recognises the invaluable contributions of the entire health system in New South Wales.

On any one day in New South Wales more than 140,000 staff are working in the New South Wales health system, with a budget that is closing in on about 40 per cent of the entire State budget. It is those 140,000 staff on the front line who have made such a difference to our State in the past nearly nine months. It was late January, as I recollect, when we first heard of cases in New South Wales. Victoria had a case of COVID and then we had four cases: three men and one 21-year-old woman, all in January. As the COVID issue closed in on us in New South Wales, we realised that we would have to take major steps and work with our staff to ensure that absolutely everybody was equipped to deal with what could come at us. In Wuhan in China's Hubei province, we were seeing various messages. We knew and appreciated there was a huge challenge in the People's Republic of China, but we did not quite understand some of the messaging, particularly whether there was transmission from human to human. But we had to operate on that basis—on the assumption—and we moved very quickly.

I thank first of all the very senior staff who have been so involved in making sure that our State was well equipped. I particularly thank Secretary Elizabeth Koff and Deputy Secretary Susan Pearce. In prior days Susan Pearce was very actively involved—often at two o'clock or three o'clock in the morning, making arrangements for ambulances to be redirected. That was in the normal days. During this period she has been involved at the State emergency headquarters at Homebush on a daily basis. I thank Kerry Chant. No description could be possible other than to say that, in my view, she is far and away the most outstanding chief health officer in the country. In nine months she has never stopped working; she has just kept at it.

We have had to force her to take even half a day off to go and look after herself for a bit. She has been there every day and has been always available and always supportive of her very extensive team. I thank the entire team. I perhaps should not name everybody, but Michelle Cretikos works very closely with her. They are an incredible team and have done incredible work in the past nine months. I thank everybody at the State Emergency Operations Centre, who have also been at the front line. For those who have not visited the centre, it has the most amazing facilities where we have every possible agency, including the Australian Defence Force and the police. I thank Deputy Commissioner Worboys, Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar and Commissioner Mick Fuller for working with our frontline health staff and all of the other government and non‑government organisations in the State emergency headquarters.

I thank the contact tracing team on doing an amazing job. No matter what time of the day or night I go to the fifth floor of the NSW Health headquarters in Christie Street, St Leonards, massive teams are working to support their frontline staff by adequately tracing a contact. I thank HealthShare NSW—the cleaners, the food providers, the porters and the linen services. All of those services are crucial in a pandemic. I particularly thank Gerard Hayes and his team at the Health Services Union who created ideas along the way to make sure that frontline staff were well looked after. I thank the nurses, midwives, doctors, allied health professionals and administrative staff. I also thank NSW Health Pathology and the private pathology services that have come on board and worked with us.

At any stage our nurses and midwives have a tough time in dealing with all of the issues faced in our hospitals. For example, it was only last week that Bec Davis was assaulted at the emergency department at Westmead Hospital in the most vile way by somebody who has since been charged. If he is found guilty he deserves the book to be thrown at him; the assault on Bec was appalling. I spoke to Bec. She is a quietly spoken, committed nurse—typical of the people on the front line for the past nine months of COVID-19. We have a staff of 140,000 odd, each year three million people come through our emergency departments and we have 1.9 million patients. Our nurses, doctors, medical staff and allied health staff have had to respond to the messages from the centre. I also thank our 15 local health districts and each of the executives—the board chairs and board members—for supporting their frontline health staff.

Extension of time.

I thank Teresa Anderson at the Sydney Local Health District who set up our health hotel. Currently we have roughly 17 police hotels and another four health hotels. The police hotels are managed by the police and security. In New South Wales if a person gets sick—a bit different to other States—gets COVID-19 or has mental health issues he or she does not go to a police hotel. If in the early stages they did, they were transferred to the health hotels to be looked after by our frontline health staff. Chief executive officer Teresa Anderson has done a fantastic job on that front. Similarly, I thank Deb Wilcox at the Northern Sydney Local Health District, each of the chief executives and all the frontline staff at every one of those facilities. I do not think one bad word can be said against any of our staff; they have been extraordinary. I also include the private health staff who have joined us in this battle, this war, that we have been waging now for nine months. It was during the worst days, the dark days, that the private hospitals came on board and their nurses and doctors were doing similar things. []

The nurses, doctors and other frontline staff were as scared as every one of us. I was certainly scared but they were the ones on the front line. I had regular conversations with various staff who knew the dangers but were also worried by what they did not know about this terrible virus. Nevertheless they still showed up to work, day after day, even in the early phase when we were worried whether we had enough personal protection equipment. People were also still working when we were uncertain whether we could get enough reagents for the pathology testing. Other States and Territories were having similar issues and we were all working together. At one stage one State, which I will not name, was down to two days with reagents for testing. No-one in the health team made any negatives comments about the other States because we all worked together. Every single nurse, doctor, cleaner and person on the front line knew they were leading us in battle to keep the rest of the community safe.

I will never be able to thank all of the frontline health staff. There are not enough words to thank them because the front line was a long, deep line—all the way from Secretary Elizabeth Koff to the Chief Health Officer, the nurses, doctors, allied health staff and cleaners. Gerard Hayes went to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital when we celebrated International Cleaners Day. We heard the cleaners speak about being on the front line and knowing the dangers but they were stepping up to make sure that our hospitals were kept particularly clean and doing all those extra procedures in our war against COVID-19. There is nothing more any of us can say other than to send the biggest thankyou to all of our frontline staff. I hope they realise that the New South Wales Parliament in a bipartisan way is absolutely behind NSW Health staff, the private health staff who supported us and all of the teams from all of the other government agencies that came in to help us fight in this terrible war against this vile virus.

Mr RYAN PARK (Keira) (17:10):

:05 I thank the Minister for his motion, which the Opposition supports, but I wish to make a small amendment to it. I move:

That the motion be amended by adding the following after "New South Wales":

"And calls on the Government to reverse its decision to cut the pay of frontline health workers across New South Wales."

Towards the end of January the Minister for Health and Medical Research informed the Opposition that New South Wales was starting to get COVID-19 cases. At that time when I listened to the Minister for Health and Medical Research and to Dr Kerry Chant I never thought that we would be waging a war for so long. Like the Minister I want to personally thank the thousands of frontline nurses, doctors, health workers, allied health professionals and contact tracers to whom the Minister referred. They have done an outstanding job and we would not be in the position that we are in today without their outstanding work.

The Minister is correct. I have spoken to frontline health workers who over the past nine months have been doing their job in the face of the unknown. They did not know how bad this transmission would be or how easily it could be caught. There were also challenges with personal protective equipment. But they turned up to work day in, day out. Dr Kerry Chant could easily become this year's New South Wales Citizen of the Year. She has done an outstanding job. On behalf of the Opposition I thank her for her leadership.

I also thank Elizabeth Koff and other senior staff in NSW Health. I thank all local area health districts across the State, including chief executive officer Margot Mains of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, who the Minister knows very well. I thank Dennis King who has provided strong leadership to our district. Recently, with the member for the Blue Mountains, I visited the Hazelbrook General Practice. It was a testing centre. We spoke to doctors who have been working long shifts under very difficult circumstances to try to contain this virus. They have done an outstanding job. At Concord Hospital I met a nurse named Alison—I am sure the Minister has heard many similar stories—who was treating people suffering from COVID-19. She was not 100 per cent sure of how safe she or her family were. This is something that many of us would never have experienced before.

Nurses at Blacktown, Westmead, Royal North Shore and Queanbeyan hospitals have also experienced appalling abuse, which should be condemned. The Opposition thanks nurses, doctors, frontline health workers and cleaners. The Minister spoke about the International Cleaners Day. On that day my colleagues in the Illawarra and I went to Wollongong Hospital and met with frontline cleaners. They are some of the lowest paid workers in the health system but, arguably, they do some of the most outstanding work. I put on record my thanks to them.

I thank the Health Services Union, under the leadership of Gerard Hayes, and the Nurses and Midwives' Association, under the leadership of the Brett Holmes. Together they have worked to support the health system to be as strong as it can be in the fight against COVID-19. But it is also important during this time that those workers get recognised and acknowledged. The Opposition urges the Government to use common sense and make sure that those workers get the pay they deserve. That is good for the economy, it is good for them and it is good for their families. It is exactly the sort of stimulus we need now. Increasing wages to frontline health workers across New South Wales acts as a stimulus right across New South Wales. I think that is something all members should support today.

Mrs LESLIE WILLIAMS (Port Macquarie) (17:15):

:26 I support the health Minister's public interest debate motion acknowledging our frontline healthcare workers. I say to the Minister that they are the best in the world. They have outstanding commitment and dedication. Those qualities have been exemplified through these very challenging times. In the Mid North Coast Local Health District the dedication of our frontline health services is epitomised by two of its staff members, whose stories I will share today. Grainne Ducat is a registered nurse and management intern at Port Macquarie Base Hospital. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit she immediately signed up to work at Port Macquarie Base Hospital's COVID testing clinic, where her organisation and management skills quickly came to the fore. Grainne is responsible for the management of staff and overseeing the efficient flow of people through the clinics. She also liaises with the North Coast Public Health Unit, keeps up to date with the evolving health advice and ensures that new staff are trained in the workings of the clinic.

In response to the call for more testing across New South Wales, there has been a significant increase in presentations at mid North Coast COVID clinics and the district is very well prepared should there be any new cases. Grainne put her hand up for this role because she really wanted to contribute to the local health response to COVID-19. She says that health professionals always feel that urge when something like this is happening to just want to jump in and help. Grainne says that all frontline health workers have been overwhelmed by the support of the community, whether it be the generosity being shown through meal donations from local individuals and businesses, those special messages we have been reading on social media or just the smile they get when they go down the street and receive thanks.

Another outstanding frontline healthcare worker is Trish Lemin. She is a clinical nurse consultant – trauma who is now heavily involved in Mid North Coast Local Health District's COVID-19 response team. Trish's courage and dedication in the face of adversity have taken her from COVID-19 ground zero in China to the firegrounds of the New South Wales South Coast in 2020. As a trauma expert and a nurse of almost 40 years, Trish's skill and professionalism is widely sought. She is a go-to person in times of crisis. As the world was gripped by the reality of the COVID-19 emergency in February, Trish flew to Wuhan province—the epicentre of the emerging pandemic—on deployment with Australian Medical Assistance Teams, or AUSMAT. The three‑week mission brought home 273 Australians, including 68 children.

Trish's international deployment came on the back of the New South Wales bushfire emergency, when she was working day and night as part of the coordinated response effort. Being away from home at this frightening time and only able to snatch a few minutes at a time to connect with her loved ones, Trish and her close-knit team of eight nurses and two doctors were charged with setting up and running a field hospital at Batemans Bay. Trish's exceptionally strong work ethic, commitment to safety and quality and her ability to perform under intense pressure are recognised and sought after within the health and emergency sectors.

With care, compassion and empathy at the heart of everything she does, Trish is widely respected for her collaborative and inclusive approach. Trish epitomises all that is expected of a clinical nurse consultant, dedicating much of her time to the education of doctors, nursing and allied health staff. Trish had no downtime after returning from her AUSMAT deployment, going straight into a crucial role within the Mid North Coast Local Health District COVID-19 response team. The commitment of these staff members is outstanding. Over the past few months our frontline workers have really felt the support of our community, which makes them feel proud and also makes them realise they are providing an essential service that each and every one of us greatly appreciates.

In the time I have left I thank the team at the North Coast Public Health Unit under the leadership of Paul Corben. As a director covering both the Mid North Coast and the Northern NSW local health districts since 2005, Paul has certainly stepped up to the challenges of COVID-19. I know that I speak for everyone up and down the coast in thanking him and his team, and acknowledging their ongoing efforts. I also express my sincerest gratitude to the Mid North Coast Local Health District CEO, Stewart Dowrick, and his entire team. They have always been there to pick up the phone and respond to calls from my electorate office in relation to supporting our constituent's inquiries about COVID-19 testing and related restrictions. I know that each and every member in this House is so enormously grateful to everybody who works in our health sector. They have stepped up to the mark like you would not believe. On behalf of my community, I thank them for everything they have done.

Ms LIESL TESCH (Gosford) (17:20):

:35 I am honoured to be invited to speak today on this very important public interest debate topic. I salute, bow to, curtsy to, wave to, love-heart and cannot thank enough our frontline workers for what they have done during this pandemic. They are praiseworthy and they are our heroes. I, and all members of Parliament, have felt for them and their genuine fear for their own wellbeing from the outset of the looming pandemic. We have felt for them in fearing for their safety in the workplace and their need and desire to have all the appropriate personal protective equipment, training, security and systems in place to protect them and their families from this looming threat. All members of this Parliament absolutely appreciate the efforts that these workers have made to protect their own vulnerabilities and fragile health anomalies so they can best address the needs and wellbeing of the people of New South Wales whom they have been caring for during this very challenging time.

We appreciate the workers in our hospitals, both public and private; our frontline aged-care support workers within and outside our aged-care facilities; our GPs, who have made massive adjustments and supported their patients to move to telehealth and have been working over and above to make sure everyone is safe; those in roles caring for people with disabilities in share housing and across the community; our allied health workers within the health system and out and about in the community; those professionals caring for people in aged-care facilities and in the community; and those working in cancer care, wrapping love and support around people who have compromised immune systems.

We appreciate the efforts of those in our prison systems who are supporting health and wellbeing; our cleaners and COVID cleaners across New South Wales; and our pharmacists and their teams for caring, listening and giving advice and support despite the risk to their own wellbeing. Our teachers, going online and then back into the classroom, have become health workers and family supports, staying safe and protecting their colleagues while continuing to deliver the best education they possibly can. I give special thanks to the Health Services Union and the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association for supporting all their members in the amazing work that they have done, and I thank all those I have missed on my list. Members cannot thank them enough for the work they have done. I also give a shout-out to all those people involved in COVID testing, pathology and clinical investigation of the virus in diagnosis and solution seeking.

As the member for Gosford, I give massive thanks to every person working at Gosford and Wyong hospitals, and at Gosford and Brisbane Waters private hospitals, and to the fabulous teams at Peninsula Village, BlueWave Living, HammondCare and BaptistCare aged-care facilities. I also give special thanks to all our community members who have been so generous in their support of our frontline workers, with coffee, sandwiches, barbecues, cakes, flowers, takeaway food, cleaning, lawn mowing, love and encouragement. I also thank Dr Chant and her team for their stoic work to deliver information, guidance and protection to the people of New South Wales. In this Parliament I sincerely thank the health Minister for the work that he and his team have done to support electorate offices and people across this State with his guidance and leadership. It really has been appreciated.

Mr Brad Hazzard:

Good on you!

Ms LIESL TESCH:

However, it is tough when members in this Chamber and the Liberal‑Nationals Government are not prepared to support the pay rise for our health workers. Tonight I thank the shadow Treasurer for his amendment to the Minister's motion, which gives the Government the ability to walk away from its crushing decision to refuse a pay rise during a pandemic for some of the hardest-working, most at‑risk public servants in our State. Tonight is the chance for Government members to make good on the words they have said today and support those workers in a real, practical way. It is easy to be in this House and say the Government appreciates what they have done, but now it is really important for the Treasurer to deliver.

The frontline staff in our regional communities are the spenders across New South Wales. Last week we heard from the father of superannuation, Paul Keating, that to get through a recession we need to act early and support households so that they can continue spending. It is the teachers, nurses, frontline health workers, the cleaners and especially the women in our community who are due to receive a salary increase of 2.5 per cent, yet the Government is spending millions on legal cases simply to avoid paying them. At the same time as the Government should be paying that increase in pay, Premier Gladys Berejiklian is defying Parliament by taking the pay case to the Industrial Relations Commission—spending money that would otherwise be spent in my local economy on the Central Coast. It is the cafe workers and others on the ground who we need to keep employed.

The State is in recession. We must stimulate our economy to support jobs and recovery—not take money out of people's pockets and curtail their ability to spend at their local shops. I thank the member for Keira for moving his amendment. I encourage members of the Government to support this important push to better support our frontline workers. As a member of the New South Wales Parliament, I congratulate the Victorian Premier, Dan Andrews, on the work he is doing to keep his community safe. He is a fantastic leader and I applaud his efforts. My heart goes out to everyone in Victoria.

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (17:25):

:48 I support the motion. I acknowledge the ongoing and amazing contributions of frontline health workers across New South Wales, across the country and indeed across the globe. In particular I acknowledge the work of those associated with the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District who have played an integral part in the management of the COVID-19 response. It is not just luck that has given New South Wales the upper hand in our battle against COVID; rather, it is the tireless efforts of our nurses, doctors, pharmacists, paramedics, midwives and other support staff such as tracing staff who have all played a critical role in the vanguard of this fight.

I acknowledge the presence in the Chamber of the Minister for Health and Medical Research, who has done an outstanding job in one of the worst pandemics Australians have ever seen. This Government is doing all it can to assist frontline workers by upgrading hospitals and medical facilities, by training medical staff and by providing additional staff. To put into perspective the Government's efforts, I point out that the New South Wales Government has provided more than $1.8 billion to support the health system's response to COVID-19 throughout the 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years. My local health district's public health unit has been working closely with testing clinics and COVID wards throughout my local community. They have been identifying at-risk localities, directing isolation for contacts of positive cases and managing services such as infection control and procedure compliance in retail premises.

Typically the public health unit has a nursing team of five members but that has been increased to 45 to deal with COVID. Today the Government announced it will fast-track delivery of the next stage of the redevelopment of the St George Hospital, which is two years earlier than planned. That has been made possible because of an additional $105 million of funding that will boost local jobs, provide more health services for residents and, importantly, ensure that frontline hospital staff will be working in modern facilities and supported by the best available technology. As a result of today's announcement the St George Hospital is now up to stage three of its $700 million redevelopment. This is a long-term investment that has resulted in the reopening of the hydrotherapy pool, the completion of the new emergency department and new acute services, the refurbishment of the birthing delivery suites and the provision of additional parking.

The Government also is investing in more frontline staff to take pressures off our health system. During the pandemic the Government has undertaken more recruitment, more training and more support for health staff by employing final year medical students, hiring more security staff and providing training for nurses currently working in intensive care units. I acknowledge that my local community is actively supporting frontline health workers. As history shows, it is the way we as a community come together that really gives us our greatest advantage. In response to seeing the tireless work of local nurses, doctors and frontline medical staff, the students and staff of the Peakhurst Public School led a drive for donations to create special care packages. The school community came together to deliver 105 care packages and 30 boxes of drinks to staff at the St George Hospital. Each bag contained a unique letter of thanks from the students, which I am sure was gratefully received by the staff. Without the dedication, compassion and courage of our frontline workers our fight against COVID would be very different from how it is unfolding today.

Ms TAMARA SMITH (Ballina) (17:30):

:02 On behalf of The Greens I join members in this public interest debate to recognise the efforts of frontline health workers. The Greens thank the Minister for Health and Medical Research for bringing this important matter to the attention of the House for debate. In our party room we have recognised his incredible work over the past nine months. I have not heard anyone in this Parliament or anywhere else who has had anything other than gratitude for his and his department's dedication. I also acknowledge the expertise and efforts of the State's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kerry Chant. I know that The Greens health spokesperson has remarked upon the generosity of Dr Chant's spirit and I endorse her comments. We can only imagine the work that Dr Chant has done and continues to do. It is remarkable that she makes time available to regularly brief members of Parliament. On behalf of The Greens I also applaud the efforts of the Commonwealth's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nick Coatsworth.

We have all been very grateful that the Premier has not been guided by politicians but rather has been guided by the absolute best of the best in health—epidemiologists and medical professionals. That is why people can see that everything from contact tracing to COVID plans implemented by businesses right throughout New South Wales has been based on science and the incredible work of the pandemic team. The world is in awe of our health workers and recognises their expertise. We all remember those incredible scenes in Italy and other European countries of people standing on the balcony and applauding their frontline health workers. None of our nurses, doctors, GPs, allied health workers, paramedics, cleaners and administration staff have said, "You know what? I don't feel safe at work." They have shown up and put their own health and their families' health at risk. Some of them have stayed away from their families for long periods. We recognise and celebrate all their efforts.

Anaesthetists are at high risk when they intubate patients. Over and over they put themselves at risk to do their job. The hospital porters, who are very poorly paid and barely noticed, enter treatment rooms daily. The cleaners are first to go into rooms that have been occupied by infected patients. We welcome any opportunity to increase their pay post-COVID-19. Without the expertise of our contact tracers and the science of epidemiology more of our frontline workers would be placed at severe risk. Laboratory staff and pathologists have worked incredibly long hours to process tests. Psychologists, counsellors and mental health workers have taken up the slack to help people through this crisis. All those I have mentioned have had no choice but to turn up to work. They have made sacrifices and we are all incredibly grateful to them.

I acknowledge the advocacy of the Health Services Union, the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation of New South Wales and the ambulance division of the Health Services Union. As so often is the case, our ambos are doing double shifts to make sure that no-one in the community misses out. I will mention some of the groups in the electorates of Ballina, Newtown and Balmain: Glebe Youth Service; Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre; St Vincent De Paul Rozelle; Chin Chin, Surry Hills; Addison Road Community Centre; Hongs Kitchen, Ballina, who hand delivered fresh cooked meals to nurses and GPs at the Ballina District Hospital; Cherry Street Sports Club for its free meals; and Leesa Maree of Table Grayce for raising funds. The Northern New South Wales Local Health District CEO, Wayne Jones, has been extraordinary. I know that the member for Lismore shares my view. Every frontline health worker across the State has shown themselves to be a hero.

Ms JANELLE SAFFIN (Lismore) (17:35):

:13 I support the motion brought by Minister Hazzard commending the efforts of New South Wales frontline health workers. I thank the Minister and his team for their active support and accessibility during COVID. I ring and text them and I text them on behalf of others and they always respond. I say here and now thank you. It is not an easy job to deal with a pandemic, something we have never had to deal with before. We are all learning as we go and in real time. Everything is out there. My commendation is for each and every frontline health worker. Each and every day they service the health needs of our community, particularly during the COVID pandemic.

I mention the nurses, midwives, doctors, allied health workers, cleaners, health support workers, paramedics and pharmacists. I have been active with the pharmacists locally, who have been on the front line each day with their staff. I mention also disability workers and pathologists. I know I will have missed someone but collectively, together with the contributions from other members, we will recognise each of them today in Parliament. It is the duty of frontline health workers to provide health care for us every day but during COVID they have gone beyond the call of duty. COVID is a virus that we are simultaneously learning about and responding to and treating. There is a lot of fear in the community and frontline health workers are not immune to fear for themselves and their families.

I suffer a wee bit from fear and anxiety when I board a Jetstar flight in Ballina and people disregard physical distancing and hardly anyone wears a mask. The member for Ballina travels on the same flight as I do. I feel a little apprehension. I cannot imagine how frontline workers feel knowing that they will be working where COVID is active and treating people with COVID in order to keep our communities and our families safe. They are heroes; there is no other word for it. I want to mention the State emergency headquarters where I know Dr Kerry Chant is located. Who knew her name before January 2020? I think Minister Hazzard and the member for Keira, the shadow Minister, did. We all know her now and I think we all love her. We love seeing her; we talk about her. I think my husband is in love with her.

Mr Brad Hazzard:

Half the population is. In fact, the whole population is.

Ms JANELLE SAFFIN:

Join the queue, I told him. When my husband watches her he says, "She is formidable." Today in this place my staff executive officer ran into her. Carmel said that she thanked Dr Chant on behalf of all of us and told her that she was doing a wonderful job. Lismore Base Hospital, Nimbin, Urbenville, Kyogle, Tenterfield and Murwillumbah are all in the Lismore electorate. The staff all fronted up, got ready and did the extra training. The Health Services Union, led by Gerard Hayes, has been truly wonderful. The two health district CEOs, Wayne Jones and Michael DiRienzo, and the public health unit, which the member for Port Macquarie mentioned in her contribution, have all been truly wonderful. The amendment moved by my colleague the member for Keira and shadow Minister is a good, practical way to recognise frontline health workers. I direct this proposal to the Treasurer: Find a way to give them the 2.5 per cent pay rise as a way to provide practical support. I commend the motion and thank the member for Wakehurst for bringing it before the House.

Mr BRAD HAZZARD (WakehurstMinister for Health and Medical Research) (17:40):

—:16 In reply: I thank the member for Keira, the member for Port Macquarie, the member for Oatley, the member for Gosford, the member for Ballina and the member for Lismore. I do not think there is any doubt that we are all very grateful beyond words to our health team. People have stepped up. I will say more about our NSW Health Pathology. Since the pandemic started, 2½ half million tests have been done. I remember the way in which NSW Health Pathology had to step up to this task. Professor Dominic Dwyer, Director of Public Health Pathology, and his team have done an amazing job, together with private pathology. They have been incredible.

There are 275 locations in this State for the public to be tested for COVID-19 and they are open every day. If there is a need, they are open. Of those, 121 are NSW Health public COVID health clinics, 40 are drive through and 17 are pop-ups. It has been an incredible task. I want to thank the nurses, who have been outstanding, often working in the freezing cold to do the testing with other health staff. One afternoon at two o'clock I received a call saying that we had a problem at the Crossroads Hotel. At three o'clock I was in a meeting with NSW Health. On the way we rang Amanda Larkin, Chief Executive, South Western Sydney Local Health District, and said, "We want a pop-up clinic by five o'clock." By 5.00 p.m. a pop-up clinic was there with queues of people. It shows that people are listening to our message.

Our messages are designed to partner with the New South Wales community. I thank the teams at the airport. When it all started nurses were going out to the airport when everybody was wondering what was going on. I had a press conference a few weeks ago together with a nurse called Sarah Jane Nilsson, who is a health commander. She is one heck of a health commander. She knew how to manage that screening process. People such as Ms Nilsson are at the airport day after day and there are the necessary support staff going to the health hotels. I thank the industry groups who have listened to our call to arms and helped with the provision of new ventilators. At the moment we are up nearly 1,900 ventilators. It has more than tripled, almost quadrupled. We are more prepared than we could ever imagine was possible.

At the end of the day, none of that preparation matters if we do not have the health staff who are able to do the work. Again, on behalf of the New South Wales Parliament, I thank you for the work you have done and the work you still have to do. I have one final comment. I note the amendment moved by the shadow Minister. I do not think there is anyone in New South Wales who would not agree that if the economy was such we would all like to pay them far more. However, at the moment whilst we are in difficult circumstances, all of us, including the members of Parliament, have determined that we will be not be asking for increases this year—unless things suddenly turn around. We are not taking cuts but we are not taking increases. I understand the member's concern about the issue but, from my point of view as health Minister, that is a matter that is better left to the Treasurer and the Treasury to sort out at another time. I thank all members again for their kind words. It is very appropriate to acknowledge in a bipartisan way and to conclude by saying, in the words of the member for Lismore, "They are all heroes. There is no other word for it."

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

The question is that the amendment of the member for Keira be agreed to.

The House divided.

Ayes42

Noes45

Majority3

Amendment negatived.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER:

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Motion agreed to.