New Zealand's opposition party has launched a rare intervention into the Australian federal election campaign, raising concerns about Labor's plan to rely on skilled migration to boost nurse numbers in aged care homes.
National Party health spokesman Dr Shane Reti told the ABC the skilled migration push would likely have a "negative impact" on his country, which is also struggling with a severe shortage of nurses in the aged care sector.
"If Australia is going to significantly ramp up its demand, then as its closest neighbour, it might look towards us to meet those demands," said Dr Reti told the ABC.
"That would be a challenge for us. That would have a negative impact on us."
The federal opposition has pledged to have at least one trained nurse in every aged care facility at all hours, setting a one-year deadline should it win the election.
That goal would not allow enough time for new nurses to be trained to fill the skills gap, with Labor likely to rely on temporary migration.
"Clearly, if need be we can look at — as we have in the past — importing skilled labour in that area as well," Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said shortly after revealing the policy.
"We need to deal with this. This isn't rocket science."
Dr Reti said many New Zealand nurses have historically migrated to Australia, where wages are generally higher, and this would likely continue if a coordinated campaign was launched by Canberra.
"We have seen during COVID-19, as they became a scarce resource, that wages and salaries can be a significant influence and we had some of our precious ICU nurses leave New Zealand for better wages," Dr Reti said.
"The impact on aged residential care nursing in New Zealand would be significant in as much as we compete in the international pool for nurses," Dr Reti said.
A spokesman for New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declined to comment, saying: "It is not convention to comment on other country's elections and party election policies."
New Zealand's National Nursing Leaders group has estimated the country will be short 15,000 nurses by 2035 due to an aging workforce.
Dr Reti said his comments were not "an epiphany" and were an observation of long-term workforce trends.
"I don't like to interfere in their own domestic policies and I sit in opposition and not in government, but I also work as a clinician and get a real close look at what is happening in the aged and residential care sectors," Dr Reti said.
