ANMF (Vic Branch) members have elected the Maddy Harradence Team to lead their union. Maddy Harradence has been elected to the position of Secretary and Nicole Allan and Sam Casey have both been elected as Assistant Secretaries. Emma Foreman has been elected Branch President and Natalie Berniard has been elected Branch Vice President.
The Every Member Matters ticket was successful across all 23 Branch and Branch Council positions and campaigned on a strong track record of delivering union growth and low union fees, safe staffing and expanded ratios, improved wages, workloads and working conditions, and strong member representation and support.
The Australian Election Commission declared the results today, with 16,807 ANMF (Vic Branch) members – members of the largest branch of the largest union in the country – participating in the election.
Maddy Harradence was first appointed Secretary in July 2025 following the retirement of Lisa Fitzpatrick, who led the branch for nearly 24 years.
Ms Harradence said, 'This was a critical election, and I want to thank every member who voted for the Maddy Harradence Team. Together we can continue to grow our mighty ANMF, and work collectively to make nursing, midwifery and personal care work better for this generation and the next.
'This campaign has been so rewarding because it had members at the heart of everything we've done,' said Ms Harradence.
'There's more work to be done, and we feel incredibly proud and honoured to continue working for better outcomes for every Victorian nurse, midwife and carer – whether they're graduates or students, whether they're working in regional or metropolitan health, aged care or mental health services, or whether they work in the private or the public sector.'
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) conducted a full Branch Council election for all 23 positions, including:
- 1 Secretary position
- 2 Assistant Secretary positions
- 1 President position
- 1 Vice President position
- 4 Executive Members
- 14 Branch Councillors
A full Branch election, conducted by postal ballot, is held every four years if there is more than one nomination for a position. Branch Council elections for President, Vice President, Executive Members (4) and Branch Councillors (14) are held every two years. This was the first election for the Branch Secretary position since 1989. The last Branch Council election was held in 2023.
The new Branch Council takes effect from 30 November.
New leadership bios
- Maddy Harradence ─ Ms Harradence studied her Bachelor of Nursing in NSW and moved to Victoria to work with ratios in 2009. She completed her graduate year at St Vincent's public hospital and worked in haematology, oncology and palliative care, rotated through ICU and then completed postgraduate studies in emergency nursing, working in the emergency department until 2017. She campaigned as an ANMF member in the grueling nine-month 2011-12 'Respect our Work' EBA public sector campaign which stopped the Baillieu/ Napthine government from replacing nurses and midwives with unqualified health assistants. She became an ANMF Job Rep in 2012 and was a Branch Councillor between 2013 and 2017. She joined the union in 2017 as an industrial organiser covering regional and metropolitan areas. She was first elected Assistant Secretary in 2021.
- Sam Casey ─ Ms Casey completed her graduate year at St Vincent's public hospital in 2013, followed by an advance practice year. She completed postgraduate studies in clinical nursing (intensive care) and continued to work in ICU and in education. She became a student member in 2012 and an ANMF Job Rep in 2016. Two years later she joined the Branch as an industrial organiser representing members in private acute hospitals, private aged care and a major public health service. From 2021 as a professional officer she covered key portfolios of digital health and the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency.
- Nicole Allan ─ Ms Allan began her hospital training at St Vincent's public hospital 1987 and has worked as a nurse in the private and public sector initially in medical nursing, oncology and palliative care. She completed her postgraduate midwifery studies in 2002 and worked as a midwife at Dandenong and Casey Hospitals. She joined the Branch as an industrial organiser in 2009 and became the Maternity Services Officer in 2019.
About us:
The ANMF (Vic Branch) has over 111,000 members – nurses, midwives and aged care personal care workers – across the Victorian health and aged care sectors.
