Nurses set for island work bans
26.03.2008
NURSES at 11 remote islands in the Torres Strait appear certain to withdraw their services after it was established yesterday that the Queensland Government had failed to provide them with a safe work environment.
The staff held a teleconference with the Queensland Nurses Union yesterday and reported that some work had been done on the island medical centres and their personal accommodation, but it had not been completed.
The union has told the state Government the nurses will withdraw their labour if the facilities are not brought up to standard.
The standoff arose after The Australian revealed that a nurse was attacked and allegedly raped as she slept in her quarters on Mabuiag Island on February 5.
Health Minister Stephen Robertson gave an assurance last week that the island facilities would be improved.
He said teams of tradesmen worked over the Easter weekend to meet this Friday's deadline set by the union.
James Gilbert, an occupational health and safety officer with the union, said the telephone hook-up revealed the work carried out fell short of what was required to keep nurses on the islands.
``Locks have been replaced on several of the islands, and security systems set up, but the big issue is personal duress alarms and smoke alarms,'' Mr Gilbert said.
``At this point, members will be looking to leave these unsafe workplaces, but a final decision will be made after we talk again on Thursday.
``We will be asking Queensland Health to find them work in safer places,'' he said. ``The duress alarms are not negotiable -- nurses need them when called out into the community.''
Mr Gilbert said the Government was given the deadline to make the facilities safe two weeks ago, but almost nothing was done until last weekend.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said he had asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider charging those responsible for the workplace conditions that led to the attack.
