I took Liz's motion to the local ALP branch meeting
last night and it is to be passed to State QLD, Federal, Health &
shadow health ministers, attorney generals ( branch suggestion), local pollies
and as a motion to the Oct QLD ALP women's conference. This will start the
ball rolling from my local area.
We need a standard background to this motion to attach when
they are sent to these places? A background will explain the motion more
eloquently and if it is the same it will be consistent. We should be seen to
be organised and consistent.
We have a local issue as well which I used last night in the
debate.
I work at the local maternity hospital just north of
Brisbane about 40km away. We used to have 4 private OB's on the peninsula. Two
have now stopped private obstetrics, leaving this to very aging obstetricians
due to increased PI costs being a concern so I heard ( :- ). This has reduced
women's access to private obstetric care but wait there is more! .... The
local Private hospital has closed its maternity section.
At a time when federal health policies have pushed families
to private cover many women are now finding that now they are pregnant the
closest private maternity unit is approx. 40km south-east
or to Lynne's to the north (approx 90km away. Some choice if they chose
private care! If they could access midwives as primary care givers that will
provide them with another alternative!
The debate was brisk and people were amazed. The support was
strong. One experienced person (anti-nuke protester against a proposed local
irradiation plant) asked why I couldn't go to the local media. I had to
explain "Code of conduct" guidelines for public sector employees prevented me
from doing so. Several people have now offered to write letters to pollies,
editors and anything else needed. I felt pleased that the response was so
positive.
Cheers Barb
