The wages and conditions for nurses in Australia are determined by various Awards and Agreements. Generally speaking, awards of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission provide the legal minimum for wages and working conditions. In addition to this, nurses in the public health sector and in private hospitals are normally covered by an industrial agreement which provide additional wages and working conditions. While there is some degree of consistency, wages and conditions can very depending on the relevant State/Territory and the specific area of nursing.

Remuneration and the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program

For nurses working under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program, the ACMHN advocates that they be engaged at equivalent salary to a Clinical Nurse Specialist in NSW.  The ACMHN also advocates that indiviaul nurses negotiate salary and other employment conditions commensurate with their specialist expertise and the highly skilled role they undertake when working in the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program.

The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) provides information and comparisons of the salaries for nurses across Australia.   

Visit the ANF Nurses' Paycheck website