Watch Little respond here:
Little said he wanted to be very clear that the proposal put to the nurses, was one proposed by the unions, so the deal nurses have rejected is one put to them by their own union.
He said he has heard the complaints of nurses including low staffing and increasing demands on them.
"The government acknowledges the stress and despair these circumstances have caused and we are committed to fixing it."
He said the latest pay offer would have put an extra $13,000 over the next year alone into the pockets of every full-time employee covered by the collective agreement.