The United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) is the official non-profit, non-government, membership-based, organisation in Australia working on behalf of the United Nations core body to promote its overall aims and ideals, and equally seeking to build support for the UN's programs, activities, and agencies. The UNAA official mission is "to inform, inspire and engage all Australians regarding the work, goals and values of the UN to create a safer, fairer and more sustainable world". It has division offices in every State and Territory of Australia, with the national office run out of Canberra.

The UNAA was established in 1946 and in the following decades, the association and its state divisions grew and expanded their programs. In 1979 the Victorian division established the annual Media Peace Awards, followed by the establishment of the World Environment Day Awards.^[1]

During the International Year of the Tree (1982), the UNAA and the Nursery Industry Association of Australia founded an environmental organisation, Greening Australia, to protect, restore, and conserve Australia's native vegetation.^[2]

The UNAA works closely with United Nations specialised agencies and departments such as the UNDPI, UNIC, and UNHCR, and has consultative status with ECOSOC as a member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA).^[3] The organisation also works closely with the Australian Government, especially the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) and Australian parliamentarians.

The UNAA is governed by a National Board which meets quarterly. The National Board elects a representative Executive Team, including National Executive Director, currently^[when?] Lachlan Hunter, to take responsibility for the ongoing work nationally. Its national president is Mario D'Elia, who succeeded Major General (Ret'd) Michael G. Smith AO in 2019, who in turn succeeded Australian Senator Russell Trood in 2016, who in turn had succeeded Australian Politician Robert Hill in 2012.

The UNAA also works to support various initiatives of the United Nations which focus on key international affairs topics such as (but not exclusive to):

• Climate change
• Gender equality
• Reconciliation with Australia's Indigenous peoples
• Refugees
• Sustainable development goals

The UNAA hosts over 150 events a year across Australia; hosts public awards ceremonies on a variety of social, media, and environmental topics; drives celebratory UN observance day activities; operates development projects overseas and generally acts as a key link between the UN and the Australian public.^[4]

The UNAA group includes a national academic network, a federal parliamentary group, divisions in every state and territory, a Young Professionals network, a Youth network, and a national office.

The UNAA’s Victorian division hosts student Model United Nations (MUN) Conferences in high schools and universities around the state. These day-long conferences aim to increase student awareness of the United Nations, its processes, values, and the complex issues brought before the UN and the international community, while developing a sense of civic responsibility as future global citizens.^[23]

The UNAA Young Professionals (UNAA YP) network involves and inspires young professionals throughout Australia in international affairs and the work of the United Nations around the world, through fund-raising, awareness-raising, and advocacy campaigns.^{[citation needed]}

United Nations Youth Australia (UNYA) is a youth led organisation, born out of the organisation in the 1970s. Its members are aged below 25 years.^[24] UN Youth Australia is not a division of, or run by, the UNAA.