Branch Council
ANMF (Vic Branch)
The Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) is governed by the Branch Council which is the organisation's highest policy and decision making body.
Branch Councillors are practising registered nurses and midwives and enrolled nurses who are elected by the financial ANMF (Vic Branch) members.
Branch Council comprises:
- Branch President and Vice President
- Branch Secretary and Assistant Secretary (x2)
- Four Executive Members
- 14 Branch Councillors
The Branch Councillors and Executive Committee members are elected for a two-year term. Branch Secretary and Assistant Secretary (x2) are elected for a four-year term. The Branch Secretary and Assistant Secretaries are full-time paid officers for their elected term. All other Branch Councillors hold honorary positions.
The Branch Secretary and Assistant Secretaries coordinate and oversee the day-to-day activities and management of the Branch which includes almost 160 staff members.
The Branch represents individual members or groups of members before the Fair Work Commission, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the courts.
The Branch also represents members during negotiations with employers regarding agreements for wages, working conditions and entitlements and during disputes which may include health and safety issues, workloads, shift arrangements and ward changes.
The Branch represents members in professional forums on issues such as nurse education, standards of care and promoting the nursing and midwifery roles in the provision of health services.
Lisa Fitzpatrick
State SecretaryLisa trained at Prince Henry's Hospital in 1980 and became a Job Rep in 1982. She was Branch President from 1990 to 1996 while working as a Diabetes Educator. Lisa joined the Branch as Projects/ Recruitment Officer in 1997 and became an Organiser in 1998. She was first elected Branch Secretary in 2001.
Paul Gilbert
Assistant SecretaryPaul undertook his nursing education in the mid-1980s and has nursed in Bendigo and Queensland. He became a Job Rep in 1989 and joined the Branch as an Organiser in 1991. In 2000 Paul became an Industrial Officer and in 2005 was appointed to Senior Industrial Officer. Paul was first elected Assistant Secretary in 2009.
Madeleine Harradence
Assistant SecretaryMadeleine is a registered nurse who worked at St Vincent’s ED. A committed Job Rep since 2012, she was awarded the Hannah Sellars Job Rep of the Year Award in 2015. From 2013-17 she was a Branch Councillor before becoming an Organiser in 2017. Madeleine was elected Assistant Secretary in 2021.
Maree Burgess
Branch PresidentMaree has been nursing for more than 30 years. She is a Maternal and Child Health Nurse at a local Council. Maree became a Job Rep in 2007. She joined the Branch Council in 2008 and was elected Branch President in 2010.
Andrew Morgan
Vice PresidentAndrew has been a mental health nurse for over 20 years. He currently works as a senior clinician for a mental health unit of a metropolitan hospital. Andrew has been a Job Rep since 2015 and has also spent stints as a Health and Safety Rep.
Mel Carron
Executive memberA Job Rep since 2005, Mel Carron has been active in EBA campaigns including the 2011–12 Respect Our Work campaign. Mel endorses the need for ongoing education and a strong professional and industrial voice for nurses, midwives and carers.
Marie Jones
Executive memberMarie works associate nurse/wife unit manager at an emergency department of a metropolitan hospital. She has a particular interest in family violence and working with women affected by female genital mutilation. She's been a member for over 30 years and became a Job Rep in 2006.
Kate Reid
Executive memberKate is a registered nurse with over 20 years experience. She is currently an associate nurse unit manager in the medical ward of a regional hospital and has been a Job Rep since 2012.
Stephen McKenzie
Executive memberStephen is an Associate Nurse Unit Manager in the ED of a major regional health service. An EN for six years Stephen obtained his nursing degree in 1994. A Job Rep since 2004, Stephen participated in the Belinda Morieson Job Representative Training Program in 2010. He was first elected to Branch Council in 2010 and to Executive in 2011.
Natalie Berniard
Branch councillorNatalie is a clinical nurse supervisor in the perioperative unit at a metropolitan hospital. She's been a Job Rep since 2018 and was elected to Branch Council in 2022.
Ruth Bloom
Branch councillorA Job Rep since 2005, Ruth Bloom is committed to standing up for Medicare, safe staffing levels and fair pay. She supports the Branch’s policy on providing choice regarding end of life decisions.
Mel Connan
Branch councillorMel is a RN working as a clinical nurse specialist at a metropolitan hospital. She’s been a Job Rep since 2011 and was elected to Branch Council in 2019.
Ross Donaldson
Branch councillorRoss works in the emergency department of a major metro hospital. He has been a Job Rep since 2011 and holds a graduate certificate in emergency care. Ross was elected to Branch Council in 2019.
Roxane Ingleton
Branch councillorRoxane is a clinical midwife specialist at a metropolitan women’s hospital. She became an Endorsed Privately Practicing Midwife in 2022 and also works in private practice. She has been a Job Rep since 2016 and was elected to Branch Council in 2022.
Anna Kenny
Branch councillorRIPRN Anna is a NUM in the integrated care unit of a regional hospital. She has been a Job Rep since 2018 and Hannah Sellers Job Rep of the year award recipient in 2019. She has been a Branch Councillor since 2020.
Kate Mason
Branch councillorKate is a clinical midwife specialist at a metro hospital who began her midwifery career in 2014. She joined ANMF as a student, became a Job Rep in 2017 and was elected to Branch Council in 2019.
Catherine Morales
Branch councillorCatherine is a mental health nurse working in forensic mental health. She has been a Job Rep since 2021 and was elected to Branch Council in 2022.
Jimmy Parel
Branch councillorJimmy is a registered nurse at the ED of a metropolitan hospital. He has been a Job Rep since 2022 and was elected to Branch Council in 2022.
Kylie Somerville
Branch councillorKylie is a maternal and child health nurse for a local government service. She's been a Job Rep since 2001 and was elected to Branch Council in 2022.
Catherine Williams
Branch councillorCatherine is a RN working as a clinical nurse specialist at RCH. She has over 20 years’ experience with stints in emergency department, surgical and adolescent wards and as a school nurse. She became a Job Rep in 2019 and was elected to Branch Council later that year.
Emma Foreman
Branch councillorEmma is a registered nurse working as a clinical nurse specialist in theatre at a metropolitan hospital. She has been a job rep since 2020 and joined Branch Council in 2023.
Damien Hurrell
Branch councillorDamien works as a registered nurse for a regional hospital. He's been an active Job Rep for nearly 20 years and was recipient of the 2016 Hannah Sellers Job Representative of the year award. Damien became a Branch Councillor in 2021.