The nurses’ union has called on whichever party wins government to set aside billions of dollars to fund pay rises of up to 35 per cent for private sector nurses, heaping pressure on the federal budget.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation is running a case in the Fair Work Commission to raise minimum rates for 250,000 nurses and midwives on the nurses award, most of whom work in private hospitals, GP clinics and other parts of primary health care.