NSWNMA Membership Fees: Among the Highest in Australia – But Why?

NSW Nursing Union Fees Comparison: NSWNMA vs NPAA Membership Costs and Benefits

NSWNMA Membership fees for 2025 are $858 annually for a registered nurse or midwife. By comparison, NPAA membership is almost half the price at just $464.10 per year.

The legendary investor Charlie Munger once said, "Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome." This simple yet profound insight helps explain the current state of nursing representation in NSW.

Let's talk numbers. The NSWNMA collects approximately $69 million annually in membership fees ($858 x 80,000 members). At $858 per year, NSW nurses pay the third-highest membership fees in Australia, behind only Tasmania ($899.06) and ACT ($838.26). For perspective, the Western Australian branch of the ANMF charges just $350 per year and achieves better outcomes.

The Nurses Professional Association of Australia (NPAA) charges $464.10. Basic economics suggests that with more members, costs like professional indemnity insurance should decrease per person – yet NSW nurses continue to pay some of the highest fees in the country.

In fact, nurses across Australia have collectively saved $5.5 million by switching from the ANMF and their various state branches to the NPA – money that stays in nurses' pockets where it belongs.

As one of the largest unions in NSW, the NSWNMA certainly has the capability to achieve results. So why don't they? The answer lies in incentives – or rather, the lack of them.

Union officials enjoy comfortable positions in well-appointed offices, earning substantially more than floor nurses. There's a legitimate question about whether their priorities align more with maintaining political relationships, particularly with the NSW Labor Party than with fighting for nurses' interests.

This is the classic problem with monopolies. When members have no alternative but to pay their fees year after year, where's the incentive to drive real change? It's a comfortable position for the organisation, but it's the members who suffer.

In Queensland, where the NPAA began over 12 years ago, nurses now enjoy the best wages and conditions in Australia. While there's still progress to be made, this success demonstrates a crucial point: giving nurses a choice in representation drives better outcomes. Competition forces organisations to prove their value and work harder for their members.

The NPAA now represents over 20,000 members across Australia. Our growth reflects a simple truth: competition works, but monopolies don't. While we acknowledge there's still much work to be done, the evidence from Queensland shows that when nurses have options, their working conditions improve.

Instead of wondering why things aren't as they should be, perhaps it's time to consider why they are as they are – and what we can do to change them. Sometimes, the most effective solution isn't pushing harder within an existing system, but creating meaningful alternatives that drive positive change through choice and competition.

The path forward isn't about dismantling existing structures, but about providing nurses with options. When representatives have to earn their members' trust and fees through results rather than relying on a captive membership, everyone benefits – most importantly, the nurses themselves.

We invite you to experience the support, protection, and advocacy of NPAA yourself.

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Want to find out more or have a question? Get in touch with us:

Phone: 1300 263 374
Email: hotline@npaa.asn.au
Or book a meeting

Best of luck in your nursing journey!