Dear Trish,
I have just arrived home and am catching up with the hundreds of emails.
In regard to the topic, I feel very frustrated that the ACMI is blocked so
solidly. I know that it isn't each individual midwife, In Tassie I saw so
many examples of what midwives are trying to do in their own little
corners. Courageous midwives in hospital employment. It is all so
disconnected. They feel so alone and ununited with any other midwives and
their struggle.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that we do not appear to have a REAL
National strategy. I was shocked to hear from our administrative officer
that she did not put in a submission to the Senate Inquiry because "all the
issues seemed to be covered by the submissions from the individual State
branches"
I believe that the branch's individual efforts could have been supported by
an overall National Statement. Even one page would do. The opportunity
seems lost.
I strongly support the idea of moving to Canberra and being seen to network
where it matters most. I thought that W.A. was insular, but our head office
seems immune to what is going on around it.
By the time that a news item about Birthing women is broadcast our
oganisation should have a reply ready to go out to the media. the next day
is too late. Thats what seems to be the story of our organisation. We are
one step behind everyone else.
Best wishes, Mary Murphy.
---- Original Message -----
From: Trish David <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 1999 9:34 AM
Subject: nigel and ineffectual ACMI
> Dear Nigel,
>
> If you look at ACMI position statements, press releases, letters to
> politicians, etc, in fact any correspondence (action) it has engaged in at
> State and National level you will see that it does promote recognition of
> midwifery as distinct from nursing and distinct from medicine. As to
> ineffectual, prove it. Just because certain changes have not occurred,
> doesnt mean something is ineffectual. It just means the resistance is too
> strong. If all midwives were active members of ACMI, and if ALL WOMEN
> really did feel passionate and want what we say they want, and were
willing
> and able to act, there would be no resistance at all.
>
> Now, are you a member of ACMI? Are you active at a local level? If not,
> become so. If you feel passionately, let your local rep/branch know and
be
> prepared to act with them. A non-member cannot move anything.
>
> Now, as to having things in common...many issues we share with women have
> no relevance to nursing, but eschewing an alliance that has been
> productive, and that many, many midwives still cherish, even though it is
> not without its disadvantages would be foolhardy. Why cut our noses off
to
> spite our faces??? (And see Nicky Leap's paper from the recent ACMI
> Conference for a rational and lively critique of the definition of a
> midwife in relation to nursing, so that rhetoric and rubric can be
> idnetified where it exists.) I say, make strategic alliances, whilst
> maintaining an identity, where and when they serve our best interests as a
> woman centred profession. After all most nurses (96%) are women and will
> need our services at some time.
>
> That doesn't mean we are to be nurses, just as electricians are not
> plumbers. But the electricians and plumbers will band together for the
> benefit of both trades. Interestingly, you have chosen for your metaphor
> the two trades within the building area that have achieved a high degree
of
> occupational closure (separate identity enshrined in law)!!! And yet this
> is precisely what many criticise midwifery (through ACMI) of trying to
> perpetuate.
>
> That's all for now.
>
> Trish
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