The Labour Relations of Public Health Care Reform in New South Wales

The Australian health care system has changed considerably over recent years – for patients and workers alike. This paper examines one part – albeit a very important part – of that changing system; namely, the public hospitals in New South Wales. This is the most populous of the Australian states, providing 6 1/2 million of the country’s total population of around 19 million. The public health system in New South Wales annually accounts over $7 billion in expenditure, which represents almost one quarter of the state government’s budget, and employs around 100,000 staff, approximately 90 percent of whom work in public hospitals operated by NSW Health.