ANF IN WA CUTS FEES BY 25% ANF Council responds to cost of living pressures while still expanding services
Most ANF members know the ANF fees have not changed for 18 years (not even for inflation) and so it was an extraordinary announcement from the ANF Council in June that ANF fees in WA will be reduced by 25% for the coming financial year. ANF Assistant Secretary Janet Reah said the Council wanted to let all ANF members know they understood the ever increasing cost of the cost of living pressures and were prepared to do something meaningful about it. Speaking to the Western Nurse soon after the Council decision Janet says the ANF Council knows that ANF members, like everyone in the community, are looking to cut back on household expenses wherever possible. She says the Council is sending a clear message that they
are making it even easier for all nurses and midwives to continue their membership of the ANF in Western Australia during these difficult times. Janet says there are three important things the ANF can do for members right now - campaign for better wages that at least keep up with inflation, continue to expand the services provided to ANF members keep the ANF fees as low as possible. “The Council has been keen to do its bit to help with cost of living pressures and so they looked at the financials and noted a much higher than expected income from the Holiday Units during the two years of border closures as well as significant savings generated in a range of other administration areas made it possible to achieve a fee reduction of 25%.” ANF Vice President and Wickepin Nurse/Midwife Kerry Lee says the Council first looked at whether the services expansion program for 2022 and 2023 would still go ahead with such a significant reduction in membership fees and the answer was a resounding yes.
“20 years of prudent financial management made it possible to not only cut the fees but to also continue adding services such as more lawyers for the ANF Legal Service and more features on the ANF app.” ANF Councillor Glenda Watson currently working at PCH says her main concern was the ANF still having sufficient funds to conduct its media and industrial campaigns for improvements to wages and conditions. Glenda Watson at work in the ICU at PCH
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western nurse June-July 2022
“The cost of the fee reduction will be more than covered by the surplus the ANF Council delivered last year, which
