THE Queensland Nurses’ Union (QNU) has called on the State Government to explain the message behind a taxpayer-funded advertising campaign worth an estimated $250,000-plus.
QNU Secretary Beth Mohle said the union had received calls from journalists, nurses, midwives and other members of the public seeking clarification of the Newman Government’s state-wide nurse pay campaign.
Ms Mohle said the QNU conservatively estimated the prime time TV, radio and full page newspaper advertisements had cost Queensland taxpayers a minimum quarter of a million dollars. She said she and other nurse pay experts could not accurately interpret what the ads meant.
“Some of the people who have called for clarification are experienced political pundits, yet they too are unable to decipher the Newman government’s estimated $250,000 message,’’ Ms Mohle said.
“The Queensland Nurses’ Union campaigns tirelessly on all issues regarding nurse and midwife pay, yet we are also unable to clearly interpret what these ads mean.
“We conservatively estimate the tax payer media buy over the last few days to be at least a quarter of a million. It’s money that could have funded health services for the Queensland community.
“It could also have helped some of the 1500 nurses and midwives who have lost their jobs under the Newman Government since 2012.”’
In the TV advertisement, an actor states Queensland’s existing pay systems are complicated and says the Newman Government is “fixing them.’’ The ads began on Friday June 13 and continued through the weekend and yesterday.
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Ms Mohle said she feared the State Government had spent significant additional funds to hire an advertising agency, actors, voice-over artists, stylists, directors, editors and graphic artists to prepare and shoot the glossy TV, radio and newspaper ads.
In additional, the Newman Government last week sent the state’s 32,000 public health nurses a hard copy letter three pages long. The cost of the letters alone is estimated at more than $30,000.
Ms Mohle said she would happily accept clarification from the Newman Government on the costs involved – as well as the content of the message.
“Nurses and midwives have called and emailed since receiving these letters because they are unsure of the content, worried about what it means for their pay and entitlements and don’t know why they have received such a costly mail out,’’ Ms Mohle said.
“Again the Newman Government message is so convoluted we do not know what they are trying to say.’’
The QNU was not contacted regarding the campaign. Ms Mohle called on the Newman Government to explain the message.