ANF Australian Nursing Federation

Established in 1924, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) is the national union for nurses and with 170,000 members is the largest industrial and professional nursing organisation in Australia.

Where do ANF members work, don't nurses just work in hospitals?

ANF members include all levels of nursing staff, registered nurses who are educated in university, enrolled nurses who are educated over 12-18 months in TAFE and Assistants in Nursing who are also trained in the TAFE system.

Like a lot of careers, nursing offers an extensive range of adventure and variety. Nurses educated in Australia can work across the world in many different fields. In addition to working in hospitals and general practices, nurses work in remote and rural areas, health and community services, aged care, universities, schools, local governments departments, in industry, the armed forces and overseas.

What does the ANF do?

The main objective of the ANF is to improve pay and working conditions for all our members, wherever they work and whatever they do in health..

When you are starting in nursing the ANF can assist you with information about rates of pay, career development and education. You can get involved in the ANF as a student and:

• Access study and educational resources and support
• Stay informed about changes in health and nursing
• Know your rights at work while you work to support your study
• Know your rights in your future employment including making sure that all nurses, including nursing students, have a voice and are treated fairly as they start their career in nursing.

You can become involved with the ANF by contacting your local branch through the ANF website at http://www.anf.org.au/


The ANF is also the largest professional representative for nursing. Our professional activities include such things as:
• The development of competencies and standards for nurses and midwives
• The development of a nursing code of ethics
• Professional representation on state, national and international committees such as Coalition of National Nursing Organisations, International Council of Nurses, and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council;
• Direct consultation with the state and federal governments on all issues relating to nursing and health care generally;
• The development of policies, position statements and guidelines for nursing practice - available at http://www.anf.org.au/ under publications.

More generally the ANF provides its members with valuable services such as:

• talking to employers and helping to resolve workplace disputes;
• legal representation if your dispute cannot be worked out in the workplace;
• negotiating awards and agreements with employers;
• information about wages and conditions of employment;
• providing information and representation on workplace issues;
• educational services;
• lobbying government on policy positions; and
• library and educational services.

As well as helping members out individually in the workplace, the ANF also campaigns to make the nursing industry a better, fairer and safer place. One of our main campaigns at the moment is working with the federal government on health reform, including reform in aged care with the aim of making Australia a country where all people have access to quality health care regardless of their age, income or where they live.

For more information on the ANF and our aged care campaign go to http://www.anf.org.au/

Go international!
The ANF doesn't just help out nurses in Australia - they represent the country on an international scale through links with other national and international nursing organisations, unions and professional associations. The ANF supports the East Timor Nurses Association to allow the organisation to develop its membership and activist base. The ANF also actively supports the PNG Nurses Association providing industrial and professional advice and assistance.

The ANF is also a member of the South Pacific Nurses Forum, the Commonwealth Nurses Federation and is affiliated to the Australian Council of Social Services, APHEDA (Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad), and the International Centre for Trade Union Rights.