Dear All In the leadup to the federal election Maternity Coalition encourage you to speak to your sitting member and the candidates in your electorate about the need for reform of maternity services. You know pregnancy and birth are not an illness, yet our health system puts pregnant women at a serious disadvantage by treating it as an illness. Women are increasingly being forced by both federal and state government policy and funding into options of care that do not result in best outcomes. Mothers who want to give birth without unnecessary medical intervention or dangerous drugs are the most disadvantaged.
At the same time midwives are facing serious restrictions to our practice. Two states, Tasmania and NT, have recently prevented midwives from offering private services, as they are not able to buy professional indemnity insurance. This has outlawed both homebirth and independent midwifery practice in those states. We do not yet know if midwives in Victoria will be prevented from continuing private practice after our renewal of registration at the end of this year. The Maternity Coalition works across Australia as the need for reform is complex and multi level requiring all members and supporters to take action where they are, as well as the MC members public activism. For example the Victorian branch is represented on the Vic government’s Maternity Services Advisory Committee by branch president Leslie Arnott. In every state MC members represent the needs of women, midwives and families for equitable services at both local, state and national levels. But without broad support from other consumers and the midwifery profession and the community, the complex obstacles that need to be overcome will remain . We need your help! MC members will receive Birth Matters, which was mailed this week. Please use the information in Birth Matters to guide your efforts as an agent for change. Those on this list who are not members. Please consider rectifying this immediately. Go to HYPERLINK "http://www.maternitycoalition.org.au"; www.maternitycoalition.org.au and download a subscription form. If you *cannot* afford the $35 annual fee you can download most of the information from the website. (Midwives and others in related professions please note that the subscription fee is tax deductible). WA members can download a copy of Implementing NMAP in WA to take to the candidates for the next WA election, as well as end an endorsement via http://www.maternitycoalition.org.au/wa/wa_home.html I want to thank all who have already spoken up on radio call back, written or spoken to politicians, and made an effort. Let’s not act like an oppressed social group. We have knowledge and we have a great potential to act. We must take responsibility for Australia’s birthing futures, we owe it to our children . Joy Johnston and Denise Hynd -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
