Ms  ADDISON (Wendouree) (14:39): Will the Minister for Health please advise how making university and specialist training free for thousands of nurses and midwives will benefit future nursing and midwife students, Grampians Health and patients in Ballarat?

Our government’s announcement making it free to study nursing and midwifery has been welcomed by Federation University and ACU Ballarat, which both offer highly respected bachelor of nursing courses.

Throughout the pandemic our hardworking and dedicated local nurses and midwives have supported our community during the most challenging of circumstances and conditions. I sincerely thank our nurses, midwives and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation.

I agree with the Premier that the best thing we can do to support our hardworking nurses is give them support on the ground. Well done on this innovative announcement, and I look forward to hearing more about the benefits free nursing and midwifery degrees will bring to the Ballarat community now and well into the future.

Watch and read more of my speeches to Parliament here, including responses from ministers on how we’re working for Wendouree.

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