Royal College of Nursing, Australia is actively involved in contributing to national nursing and health policy issues

In 1994 the National Office of Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA) relocated to Canberra with the specific goal of strengthening access to Federal Government. RCNA can more effectively represent the nursing profession through participation in nursing/health care policy-making and planning by being in the nation's capital. The wisdom of the strategic move of 1994 has since been evidenced by the number of government and health care bodies seeking the RCNA's advice on a wide range of nursing/health care related policy development issues.

Policy analysis and development incorporates many RCNA activities including responses to draft policy documents and discussion papers, formulation of Position Statements, joint activities with other healthcare and government organisations, personal presentation of issues to state/territory and federal government bureaucrats and ministers, and projects in which a direction for RCNA and the nursing profession is developed.

By means of these activities RCNA provides the professional nursing perspective to influence nursing and health care policy being developed at state/territory and national levels.