ASMOF – The Doctors Union has condemned NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson for making a series of false and misleading claims during a radio interview this week, accusing her of using misinformation to deflect from her government’s failure to address the mental health workforce crisis in NSW.
Appearing on Mark Levy’s 2GB morning show, Minister Jackson claimed public hospital psychiatrists earn an average of $438,000 a year, and framed the crisis as “just a pay dispute.” Both claims are categorically false.
ASMOF President Dr Nicholas Spooner said
“To say that we’re disappointed in Minister Jackson is an understatement. These comments were not just wrong, they were a deliberate attempt to shift blame away from the government’s inaction.
“The Minister has an obligation to be truthful about matters in her portfolio. Instead, she has chosen to mislead the public, malign doctors, and gaslight a workforce that is already on the brink.”
This is not just a pay dispute.
Minister Jackson has sought to reduce the mental health crisis to a simple wage negotiation. This is a distortion of the facts. NSW psychiatrists are not just seeking better pay, they are calling for a properly funded, properly staffed mental health system that meets the needs of patients.
That includes a 25% attraction and retention allowance to stop the exodus of doctors, a workforce committee to oversee safe staffing and recruitment, and support for psychiatry trainees through funded training and registration.
“This isn’t just about pay. It’s about safe staffing, sustainable workloads, and basic respect for the people who care for some of our state’s most vulnerable patients.”
The $438,000 claim is false and impossible
The Minister’s most egregious claim was that public hospital psychiatrists in NSW earn an average of $438,000 per year, an amount that is not even possible under the current award.
"The top-of-scale award rate for a full-time psychiatrist is $354,479. However, accounting for the range in seniority and the average FTE of the psychiatry workforce (which is 0.65 FTE) brings real average earnings closer to $200,000.
“This isn’t just a mistake, it’s a fabrication. The Minister has refused to provide any evidence for the $438,000 figure because she knows it’s indefensible.
“It takes more than 12 years of training to become a psychiatrist. These are not overpaid staff, they are deeply committed professionals who are being pushed out by a broken system.”
No real negotiations, and no solutions from government
Minister Jackson also claimed her government is negotiating with psychiatrists alongside the NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) process. This is untrue.
The IRC proceedings were initiated independently by the Commission’s President. The government has presented no proposal of its own and has done nothing to resolve the crisis, except to oppose the only plan before the Commission: ASMOF’s proposed interim award to stabilise the workforce.
“Minister Jackson says she can’t act because her hands are tied. But the truth is, she’s done nothing to help.
“Her few meetings with ASMOF have been performative at best, there’s been no meaningful action, no genuine engagement, and no plan.”
A duty to the truth, and to the public
ASMOF is calling on the Minister to publicly correct the record on psychiatrist salaries, provide the evidence and advice she relied on in making her claims, and stop deflecting responsibility and start delivering solutions.
“Minister Jackson has a duty to be honest with the media, health workers, and most of all, the patients and families she is meant to serve.
“Instead of correcting the record, she’s doubled down on misinformation. Our health system and public deserve better.”
Time for action, not spin
ASMOF is calling on the NSW Government to immediately:
- Commit to safe staffing of mental health services
- Provide a 25% attraction and retention allowance for psychiatrists
- Fully fund training and registration fees for psychiatry trainees
- Establish a joint workforce committee with ASMOF and NSW Health
- Return to genuine negotiations with the profession
“The Premier has had this problem on his desk for two years. We’ve offered solutions. Psychiatrists have entered arbitration in good faith. But while the government continues to mislead and delay, the crisis deepens.
“The truth is clear. The question now is whether the government will act, or continue to spin.”
Contact details:
Media contact: James Cameron – 0412 611 695