Dear Ozmidwifery People, Claire Brassard, a traditional midwife, (read not a registered nurse or midwife) is being banned from giving care to pregnant women by the Queensland Nursing Council (QNC).
The e-mail that follows tells you how you can participate in a Brisbane Protest tomorrow to give the press, media and pollies the following message: "Women want choices. Women who choose homebirth want the option of choosing a traditional midwife." Time to stand up and be counted - do we support women having free choice or do we only support women choosing from the the options we would like them to have? Working for true choice, Toni Cannard Vice President AIMS Australia Inc (Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services - A consumer action group) >From: "Bruce Teakle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Subject: Support homebirth on Thursday >Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 15:21:50 +1000 > > >Bruce Teakle >Lindsay Rd >Mt Glorious 4520 >Ph 07 3289 0231 > >Dear supporters of homebirth, > >You should know by now that Claire is going to court on thursday,13 th of >december for the Supreme court to force her to cease caring for pregnant >women. > >There is a telephone process underway to get as many supporters to the >Brisbane Court by 9.15 am on thursday morning as possible. Please think >about who you know who might come to support our right to a "SAFE, >RESPONSIBLE, CARING" choice in birthing, and put out the word. It's just >fine if people hear more than once. > >The Theme > >There are several purposes to our gathering. >>1. To farewell Claire from our service, and grieve for the loss of her >>care. >>2. To celebrate the spirit of midwifery and its long tradition. >>3. To bear witness to the action of the state in denying us Claire's care. >>4. To express our dissatisfaction with the poor service of our political >>servants in regard to respecting women's right of choice in birthing. >Hopefully this will include some coverage by the media, and we are working >at getting that to happen. > >The Image > >We will look (and be) powerful, in a way which is most likely to make our > >political servants take notice. > >I propose that we behave somewhat like we are seeing off the queen (Claire >is not the queen, actually sometimes she's just very naughty. >However.....). For some of us Claire is the person who has given us the >sort of loving care we are seeking in birth. For others, she may symbolise >the care we have had from another midwife or even what we think women >deserve. What we express in love and respect for Claire is symbolic of our >feelings about the >model of care we seek. > >So let us dress and perform as if we are farewelling the queen. Flowers, > >children, kisses, tears, families, our best clothes. > >Don't get me wrong, this isn't wet and weak, this is a demonstration of the >state interfering in the lives of ordinary loving families, for no reason, >and that does not look good. > >The Routine > >We turn up at 9.15. We can't afford to be late. Don't forget this is the >city at peak hour, and driving in, and finding parking is a slow, terrible >and expensive business. Consider taking the train from somewhere >convenient. The court is equal distances from Central and Roma street >stations, both are very close. > >We arrive, assemble outside the court building, and prepare for Claire's >arrival soon after 9.30. When Claire arrives she walks the aisle we prepare >for her, kissing and farewelling. This is when our photo opportunities are, >when we all need to be there and prepared. > >She goes into court with her barrister and those of us who can go in >(without children) to witness the proceeding. The court proceedings >(everyone already inside and assembled) should start at 10.00 and take 10 >minutes. > >Claire will then have finished her 22 years of renegade traditional >midwifery. > >What next? I don't know. I'll let my beard grow back, and we can get back >to normal (whatever that was) for a few weeks. > >We certainly have a big job to do in january, with the competition policy > >stuff and so on, and preparing to get back onto our representative's >agenda's after their holidays. This is a big task we have embarked on, and >we won't be letting go. > >See you there on thursday. > >Best wishes from Bruce. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
