Health Minister Urges Binding Arbitration to End Ongoing Doctors’ Pay Dispute

Health Minister Simeon Brown has stepped into the long-running pay dispute between Health New Zealand (HNZ) and the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS), calling on both parties to urgently commit to binding arbitration in order to protect patients from ongoing strike action.

A Dispute Stretching Over a Year

The dispute has been simmering for more than 12 months, since the expiry of the collective agreement covering senior doctors and dentists. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the standoff—including mediation, facilitated bargaining, and recommendations from the Employment Relations Authority (ERA)—no settlement has been reached.

The impasse has now escalated to repeated strike action, with thousands of patients already facing delayed or disrupted care. This week, ASMS rejected the latest offer from Health New Zealand and instead moved to ballot members for further strike action, a decision the Government says undermines efforts to find a fair resolution.

Minister’s Call for Urgent Resolution

Minister Brown said the ongoing strikes were “deeply concerning” for patients and that immediate steps were required to end the deadlock. In letters sent today to both HNZ and ASMS, he urged them to agree to arbitration by Friday at 4:00 PM.

“The Government’s focus remains on ensuring New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare,” Brown said. “Prolonged strike action is unacceptable when it impacts the health and wellbeing of thousands of people awaiting treatment.”

Binding arbitration would mean an independent arbitrator makes a final decision that both parties must accept, removing the risk of further industrial action.

Patient Care at the Centre

Strikes to date have already caused the postponement of planned surgeries, outpatient appointments, and follow-up care across the country. With ASMS signalling more strike action later this month, concerns are growing that even more patients will face significant delays in accessing critical health services.

Healthcare leaders have warned that the continued disruption risks worsening backlogs in an already strained health system, where staff shortages and high demand are putting pressure on hospitals.

Broader Context of Health Sector Tensions

The dispute with ASMS is one of several ongoing industrial tensions in the health sector, as doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals push for improved pay and conditions amid cost-of-living pressures. While the Government has pledged to strengthen healthcare delivery, disputes over workforce sustainability and fair remuneration remain central to the debate.

Minister Brown’s move to call for arbitration signals the Government’s determination to prevent further disruption, but whether both parties will agree remains uncertain.

Next Steps

Both HNZ and ASMS have until Friday afternoon to confirm whether they will accept binding arbitration. If they agree, it could mark a turning point in resolving a dispute that has tested patience across the health system. If not, the risk of further strike action looms, with thousands of patients caught in the middle.

“The time has come for certainty and resolution,” Brown said. “New Zealanders cannot continue to be collateral damage in an industrial dispute.”