The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation has a new Federal Assistant Secretary – but who is she, and what does she stand for?
Registered nurse Catelyn Richards has stepped into the national leadership role with a background that spans paediatric nursing, union organising and climate advocacy. From the bedside at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital to campaigning for stronger action on climate and health, she brings a broad perspective on the challenges facing nurses and midwives today.
“I’m a bit of a dreamer,” Catelyn told the ANMJ. “I love to think about what it will look like to be a nurse or midwife or carer in the future, and when I’m tackling some of the bigger issues that we’re across – aged care reform, workforce reform, industrial relations reform and climate change – I think about where we want to get to.”
Her pathway into nursing wasn’t clearcut. Hailing from Bridport, a small rural town on Tasmania’s north-east coast, Catelyn weighed up offers to do study both law and nursing after finishing high school. During a “period of reflection” while volunteering as a teachers’ aide in the Solomon Islands for AusAid and Young People Without Borders, her direction became clearer.
“I wanted to pursue a career where I could have a direct impact giving back to the community,” she recalls. “I wanted to have skills that I could use in community, being from a rural and remote area myself. Healthcare is so translatable across contexts and health is something that’s so foundational for everything that we do.”
Her early clinical career began in paediatrics at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, where she developed a strong foundation in person-centred care and multidisciplinary teamwork. Caring for vulnerable children was deeply rewarding.
“There was something quite special about getting to work with kids because they are very resilient and just want to get better and be up and about and playing as soon as possible. In many ways, they’re the ideal patient.”
Catelyn joined the ANMF (Vic Branch) as a student and later expanded her understanding of unionism through ‘Union Summer’, a paid internship run by Victorian Trades Hall Council.
Her union journey continued when she moved back to Tasmania mid-COVID pandemic and became an organiser with the ANMF (Tasmanian Branch), advocating for members to resolve workplace issues.
“I really liked the tenacity of the other organisers that I saw in the space who had seen major wins from years of persistence; you keep going until you have a good outcome.”
A co-founder of Climate Action Nurses in 2021, Catelyn became the ANMF’s first Climate Change Officer in 2025. Her work included establishing the ANMF Climate and Health Unit (CaHU), building relationships with groups such as Renew Australia for All, and co-developing Australia’s health policy priorities with The Lancet Countdown on Climate and Health.
Transitioning to her federal leadership role, Catelyn says she is committed to improving conditions for the ANMF’s 356,000 members.
“What excites me most about the future of nursing and midwifery are the priorities that we’re actively working on and fighting for – scope of practice reform, aged care reform, gender equity. To look ahead and think ‘We won that, and now future nurses and midwives will benefit’, motivates me to build a legacy for future generations of nurses and midwives.”
