HEALTH care is already the largest employer in the Ipswich region – and new Federal Budget proposals aimed at empowering nurses would significantly strengthen the sector as demand for services surges.
The health care and social assistance industry currently employs 17.6 per cent of Ipswich’s workforce and is forecast to grow by 235 per cent over the next 20 years, driven by rapid population growth, an ageing community and rising rates of chronic disease.
Against this backdrop, the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) is calling on the Federal Government to unlock the full potential of Australia’s 414,000 registered nurses through targeted investment in its Pre-Budget Submission 2026-27.
Tamika Kristopher, 22, is a Bachelor of Nursing student who said that more jobs in the region would mean she would not have to relocate.
“Knowing there could be clearer career pathways and more advanced nursing roles makes me feel a lot more confident about my future,” she said.
Mature aged nursing student, 34-year-old Samantha O’Rourke, agreed.
“These reforms would let nurses do what we’re trained to do and make a real difference,” Ms O’Rourke said.
ACN CEO Kathryn Zeitz said outdated funding models and regulatory barriers were preventing nurses from working to their full scope of practice.
