The Australian Nursing Federation will discuss forging a resolution on same sex marriage at its biennial national conference in Canberra.

The union will debate a resolution calling for the lifting of current restrictions under the Marriage Act to allow same sex couples to marry, ensuring equality for same sex couples, at its October 20-21 conference.

The ANF will also debate a resolution calling for the “inhumane policies” for asylum seekers to be repealed, to prevent asylum seekers from being discriminated against in their right to access health care.

Other items on the agenda include closing the wages gap in aged care and fighting the New South Wales’ government’s “draconian anti-worker laws”.

ANF federal secretary Lee Thomas said more than 120 nurses, midwives and assistants in nursing from across Australia will attend the conference and have their say on the ANF’s future policy agenda.

“The conference will give us the opportunity to debate a number of significant resolutions which will set the policy agenda for the ANF for the coming two years,” she said.

“The resolutions provide nurses, midwives and AINs the opportunity to influence political outcomes for the benefit of the entire community.”

The ANF has further cemented its place as one of Australia’s fastest growing unions with 214,000 members.