The ANF, representing 170,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for
nurses in Australia.
Media Release
NEWS, HEALTH, AGED CARE, NURSING
1 October 2008
Nurses ask Deputy Prime Minister – ‘help save our nursing awards.’
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) and nurses are worried that, as part of the
federal government’s award modernisation process, the future of their nursing awards is at
risk and they are calling on Julia Gillard to reiterate her support for occupational awards.
As part of a united national campaign run by the ANF, over 6500 petitions have been
signed by nurses appealing to the president of the AIRC to consider maintaining a nursing
occupational award.
Ged Kearney, ANF Federal Secretary said nurses are concerned that the AIRC will make
the decision to replace nursing awards with generic industry awards.
“Nurses want to work under an occupational award because nurses contribute to all areas
of health care, including working in businesses, aged care, the community and hospitals.
Also, importantly, many nurses can be employed in multiple areas, for example aged care
and community care or public and private sectors and they identify strongly with their
nursing profession wherever they work.”
If nurses are forced into generic industry awards with non-specific career structures and
minimum conditions of employment, health care standards, patient and resident care
standards will be further reduced, particularly in aged care.
“The best way to protect nurses' wages and conditions is by continuing under a nursing
award. This is supported by the ACTU who support the status quo where possible, and
therefore support maintaining an occupational award for nurses.”
Ged Kearney said that aged care is of particular concern with the pay and conditions of all
aged care nursing employees including registered nurses, enrolled nurses and assistants
in nursing, being far behind that of their colleagues in other sectors.
Nurses know their awards are the safety net that links all nurses as one profession
protecting important things like career structures and minimum conditions, wherever they
work.
Media inquiries:
Ged Kearney, Federal Secretary 0417 053 322
Lee Thomas, ANF Assistant Federal Secretary, 0419 576 590
Libby Muir, ANF Communications Officer, 0413 834 979
NEWS 
