The Australian Government is allowing the skilled migration of medical scientists and medical physicists from overseas.
It has come to the Union’s attention that the Australian Government is supporting the skilled migration of medical scientists and medical physicists. While it can be argued that there has been a shortage of medical physicists in Australia, we are aware that scientists in large numbers are applying for pathology technician jobs because there are so few scientists’ positions available.
Pathology companies like Dorevitch want to be able to exploit overseas scientists on lower visa rates because experienced scientists will no longer apply for their jobs and have to accept a 30% pay reduction. Why would you!
The reality is that the outsourcing of public pathology has been devastating to pathology. Each round of privatisation has seen medical scientists dumped or forced into accepting downgrades to being technicians.
Rather than there being a genuine need, it appears the Australian Government has fallen for empty rhetoric from private pathology providers who are looking for another easily exploited group to use.
If the Australian Government truly believed in its innovation rhetoric it would encourage more people to take up study in medical sciences in order to fill the growing need for medical scientists and medical physicists. And if the Andrews Government were serious about having a world-class healthcare system, it would immediately put an end to allowing public hospitals to outsource and privatise pathology services, especially to pathology companies that exploit and abuse their workforces.
The Union is seeking more information about this situation.
