146 votes for the "Rage" presidential candidate Daniel Jenkins were excluded by the Returning Officer after allegations of ballot stuffing.

The scandal was dubbed "Wadgate" by the student newspaper Woroni and was subsequently reported on the front page of the Canberra Times (5 February 1997) and elsewhere.

[citation needed] ANUSA moved into premises in the Concessions Building in Union Court in 1999, following a major refurbishment.

In 2014, an anti-fee deregulation campaign was spearheaded by Education Officer Laura Wey, also achieving national media coverage.

In April 2024, following Israel–Hamas war protests on university campuses in the United States, ANUSA and a number of other societies and clubs staged their own pro-palestine encampment on Kambri lawns.

Rallies by members of the encampment as well as counter-protests by Jewish students occurred in the following days, attracting local and national media attention, as well as a notable police and security presence similar to other universities in Australia.

[2] ANUSA is financed by a block grant from the university, using revenue collected from the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

Also elected are the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Members of ANU Council and 6 delegates to the National Union of Students Conference.

The ANUSA Constitution establishes and funds seven autonomous departments to represent and advocate for students from marginalised groups in the community.

These include: The ANUSA Constitution establishes a number of committees with various purposes: The Student Assistance Team provides support, advice and assistance to students in a range of areas, including: Centrelink payments; welfare; support for victims of sexual assault; bursaries and scholarships and academic appeals.

Each year, ANUSA hosts an open air concert on the final day of Orientation Week, which has attracted acts including The Presets, Kimbra, Miami Horror, Rüfüs Du Sol, Bluejuice and British India.