Aneta Menkinoska

Candidate for Secretary

I’m Aneta. I’m a Speech Pathologist and a VAHPA Delegate. 

I am standing for Secretary because I believe we need a revitalised union that is democratic, accountable and fearless. A union for AHPs that has a shared vision for the future and a clear plan on how to get there. 

As someone currently working as an AHP, I understand firsthand how stretched, underfunded and undervalued Allied Health is - I experience it every day - and I’ve had enough. 

As Secretary, I commit to supporting the AHP membership to lead and direct the work of our union. Real change happens only when members themselves set the agenda. I want our union to be brave and tackle the systemic issues that hold Allied Health back: chronic under-resourcing, unreasonable workforce pressures, poor pay, and a baseless lack of respect for our specialised work and essential contribution to patient care. 

I have spent my entire career working in public health - across metropolitan and regional Victoria, in addition to two years in the UK’s NHS. I carry a daily clinical caseload while also leading a subacute team and overseeing residential aged care services. As a Delegate, I love working alongside members to understand what's at stake, why it matters, and developing a plan to fix it. 

Now, our union needs a plan. It needs a plan to urgently improve conditions for AHPs. Our plan would include prioritising resources for organising and building the power of our membership, supporting our workplace delegates, providing leadership opportunities, boosting our professional representation and establishing strong membership and public visibility. 

Most importantly, I plan to improve VAHPA’s accountability and transparency. As Secretary, I will strengthen our democratic structures to ensure that we have a much wider and deeper representation of our membership, remove barriers to members building connections across the union, and ensure our elected leaders are accessible and accountable. 

Above all, I want to be part of building a professional union for all AHPs wherever they work. A union that advocates for us as highly skilled and knowledgeable experts in our field and demands respect in our workplaces A union that understands its power and isn’t afraid to use it.