The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) was established in 1924. The ANF is the national union for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing and the largest professional nursing organisation in Australia. The ANF has had significant membership growth over the last ten years and has recently announced that they have reached 250,000 members nationally and is the largest health and aged care union in Australia. The ANF's core business is the political, industrial and professional representation of nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing through the activities of a national office and branches in every State and Territory.
The ANF's 220,000+ members are employed in a wide range of enterprises in urban, rural and remote locations in both in the public and private sectors, including hospitals, health and community services, schools, universities, the armed forces, statutory authorities, local government, offshore territories and industry.
The ANF advocates for nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing who face challenges on every shift. Right across Australia there is a frustration with the health system, not enough money, underfunded hospitals, not enough nurses, midwives or beds, and not enough time to spend with patients and residents. Safe patient care is a priority for the Australian Nursing Federation.
The ANF is a Federally Registered Organisation that has branches in each State and Territory. Most branches also have a 'State Registered Union' operating as the state entity in the state system. For nurses this system is dominated by public hospitals run by the various Australian state governments. For example, the ANF Western Australia Branch operates as the Australian Nursing Federation, Industrial Union of Workers Perth, the ANF Queensland Branch operates as the Queensland Nurses' Union and the ANF New South Wales Branch operates as the NSW Nurses' Association in their respective state systems.
The ANF has a range of national policies, guidelines and position statements relating to nursing, health and social justice issues, for the guidance of members in their practice and at their workplaces.
The ANF represents Australian nursing internationally through links with other national and international nursing organisations, professional associations and the International Labour Organisations. The ANF is a member of the Commonwealth Nurses Federation and the South Pacific Nurses Forum and is affiliated to the ACTU, International Centre for Trade Union Rights and Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA (Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad) which is the overseas aid agency of the trade union movement.
Nationally, the ANF initiates activities to raise political awareness, and political action if necessary, among members and the general public in the pursuit of improved public policy on health and related issues
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