Unions NSW today launched a powerful new advertising campaign opposing the State Government's proposed cuts to mental health and financial support for traumatised essential workers.
"Whether it's a hospital worker or prison officer with PTSD, a child protection worker who has had to remove a child from an abusive home, or a shop assistant abused at a checkout, these workers deserve support when workplace trauma catches up with them. The Government's plan rips that away," said Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey.
Under the Government's proposed changes, workers with psychological injuries would have to prove their suffering in court to get mental health help, and seriously injured workers will no longer be able to access the long-term income and medical support they need.
"Essential workers in our hospitals, schools and railways deal with trauma, sexual harassment and assault regularly. They risk their mental health for the rest of us. We should support them, not cut them off," Morey said.
The campaign includes television advertising across major networks, targeted digital advertising, and radio advertising across the State.
"Workers who have suffered serious psychological injuries have been supported and helped back to work through the workers compensation system. For many, this support was literally life-saving," Morey said.
The Government is attempting to rush the changes through by 1 July 2025.
Alongside the campaign, Unions NSW has released a five-point plan which charts a path to financial sustainability without abandoning frontline workers. The plan focuses on prevention, improving return-to-work rates, reducing waste, and creating sustainable funding models without cutting benefits to injured workers.
"There are better ways to fix the system than cutting support for injured workers—like cutting waste," Morey said. "The Government's cuts mean when you need help most, it might not be there."
For interviews, contact: Mark Morey, Unions NSW Secretary: 0425 231 812