Thursday 8 October 2026
Victorian doctors overwhelmingly reject government pay deal
Doctors have overwhelmingly voted to reject a pay deal put forward by the Carroll Labor Government that would fail to keep doctors in Victoria or address the core issues of unsustainable working hours, fatigue and patient safety.
After state-wide industrial action last Thursday 1 October, the Victorian government put forward a 12-month pay deal which included a lump sum payment and a 10 per cent pay increase for doctors in training.
Subsequently, more than half of ASMOF’s 10,500 members participated in a ballot on the offer which returned an 89 per cent ‘no’ vote. The ballot opened on Monday 5 October and closed at 7pm, Wednesday 7 October.
ASMOF Victoria President Dr Roderick McRae said doctors wanted comprehensive, long-term solutions to the workplace pressures affecting both staff and patients across Victorian hospitals.
“Our doctors are focused on achieving long-term health reform for the people of Victoria, not short-term sugar hits for themselves.
“While we welcome the fact that, after 16 months of negotiations, the Carroll Labor Government has finally put an offer on the table, that offer will not keep doctors in Victoria or address the key workplace issues our doctors and their patients face on a daily basis.
“Fatigue is a major issue for doctors and a serious threat to patient safety. Tackling it means fixing chronic understaffing, and that starts with providing base rates of pay that attract and retain doctors in Victoria.
“We need a committed and robust solution to both pay and unsustainable working hours, fatigue and understaffing across Victorian hospitals.
“Addressing these issues is critical in protecting patient safety and ensuring we can provide the healthcare the people of Victoria deserve.”
AMA Victoria President Dr Simon Judkins said that doctors understood that the future of public healthcare across Victoria was at stake.
“Every day our doctors struggle against the inadequacies of the Victorian health system, often at great personal cost.
“Relentless pressure, chronic fatigue and the constant risk of burnout take an enormous toll on doctors who are still expected to make critical decisions and provide the highest standard of care for their patients.
“In these negotiations, our doctors are focused on ensuring we achieve long-term reforms which actually fix excessive hours of work, fatigue and systemic understaffing so that we can protect the patients under our care.
“We are deeply committed to ensuring our hospitals are better resourced, with doctors who are properly supported to provide the quality standard of healthcare the people of Victoria need.
“We look forward to further discussions with the government.”
Media contact: Gabriella White I 0466 435 468
