Dear Sally-Anne and others, Carmen L has been/is an important supporter of (WA) midwives but I think her inability to attend the picnic is a confirmation that political polling does not show concerns about access to midwifery care or about the intervention rates, costs or any aspect of australain maternity services does not rate as an election issue. I think it would be a huge ask to get it up there but still we need to try because even if we do not succeed now whatever we have done/do now wil have a rippling effect!
So whilst we are talking to polies we need to continue to try to raise our profile with the media. In fact the access of the AMA to the media is one reason that regardless of elections budgets contiually give out for medical interventions in all areas of disease and health and why other professions such as midwives and many others can not be heard over the medical approach to so much. So as Homebirth Week is almost here we need to get more positive articles, interviews and reports on the positive facts and personalities involved in Homebirth in all levels and types of media!! Denise ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sally-Anne Brown" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "ozmidwifery" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 5:33 AM Subject: Fw: Accurate political action is imperative > Hi everyone, > I must say I have now read twice on the ausmid list that Dr Carmen Lawrence > is a confirmed speaker at the picnic and rally for midwives on October 28th > in Geelong. Please be very careful in interpreting information that is > being read. The only comment in regard to some of the invited guest > speakers was whether they had confirmed or not. > At no point was Dr Lawrence cited as a confirmed speaker. > > This morning I have had an email from Dr Lawrence's office stating that she > is unable to attend due to election commitments. This was expected given > the closeness to the election. However, it is great to bring to pollies > attention that the day is happenning, like the events HAS is organising in > Sydney. It is fresh in their minds, as a current and very important issue. > > What was not expected however was to read that some colleagues are not > accepting the written word as is. Can we please do it from now on. It is > very important that when you lobby the pollies that they are given accurate > and up to date information. > > Kind Regards > > Sally-Anne Brown > > > > ---------- > > From: Sally-Anne Brown <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: ozmidwifery <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: Re: Political Action is Imperative NOW!!! > > Date: Thursday, 11 October 2001 17:48 > > > > Hi all, > > just thought I would update you re speakers for the midwives support > picnic > > and rally in Geelong October 28th > > > > Confirmed speakers include: > > Dr Peter Lucas > > Vanessa Owen - (ACMI) > > Scott Kinnear - Vic Greens Lead Senate candidate > > Michael Bjork Billings - ALP federal candidate for Corangamite > > > > Both Senator Bob Brown and Joan Kirner have sent their apologies as both > > have prior engagements and are therefore unable to attend on the day. > > Please note that we are yet to receive confirmations from two speakers > > invited to attend, these include Dr Carmen Lawrence (unlikely to attend > due > > to closeness to the federal election) and Vicki Chan. > > > > Hopefully by the end of this week I will be able to put on the list our > > completed poster for your reference and would really appreciate anyone > who > > is able to, copying it and putting it out there !! > > > > We are also having live music and have just had confirmed that "The Stiff > > Gins" are going to do a special appearance for the day. > > > > Re lobbying pollies, this is what the rally is all about. However, I > would > > urge you all to note that whilst it is good to lobby, the crucial > question, > > particularly when dealing with the minor parties is " Are you prepared > to > > discuss a preference negotiation on this issue". That is, 'do you have > > this on your list'. As major parties are desperate for preferences to > get > > over the line, they typically do preference deals at election time. > > > > Basically, if it is not on the preference agenda then it is political > > bureacratic whitewash. You can have all the support in the world from > the > > minor parties (who do count when it comes to elections - the tighter the > > better !) but if it is not on their preference list (typically there are > > three or more issues discussed in these situations) then the support > being > > pledged is in reality and political terms, very superficial. > > > > Whilst I cannot put a certain negotiation on the ozmid list at the > moment, > > I will be able to annouce in a couple of weeks whether this has taken > > place, and I hope to be able to bring you good news on that front. In > the > > meantime, pressure all pollies to get community midwifery programs > actually > > on the political preferencing agenda. > > > > Kind Regards > > Sally-Anne Brown > > Mother, Doula and > > Convenor, The Greens - Otways Branch. > > > > > > ---------- > > > From: Denise Hynd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; ozmidwifery list (E-mail) > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Subject: Political Action is Imperative NOW!!! > > > Date: Thursday, 11 October 2001 15:09 > > > > > > Dear All > > > I understand that Carmen Lawrence is attending the Homebirth Week > > Awareness > > > picnic in Geelong and that as she is the MP for Fremantle and supporter > > of > > > the Community Midwifery Program WA that she and other Labour (women) > MPs > > > support the replication of CMWA acroos the country if Labour wins the > > > election!! > > > > > > Now is the time for all of us to visit our federal MP's and all > > candidates > > > to secure their committment to universal access to midwifery models of > > care > > > for all Australains!!! > > > > > > This list can be help in generating ideas, strategies and keeping all > > > energised and infromed as previously!! > > > > > > My local MP recommends that you have a specific strategy to ask polies > to > > > implement (rather than a concept)so I am opting for; > > > 1) Replication of the Community Midwifery WA across the country. > > > 2) Access for Community Midwives/MIPP's to every maternity unit across > > the > > > country (as recommended by NHMRC and every review of maternity services > > in > > > the past 2 decades). > > > 3) Establishment of birth centres and team midwifery projects in every > > > maternity unit across the country. > > > 4) Introduction of no fault health insurance as in NZ in light of the > > > insurance industry collapses which will probably be escalated after the > > WTC. > > > > > > What else is happening? > > > What have been repsonses other have had?? > > > > > > Denise > > > > > > > > > > > > ---- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Johnston" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: "ozmidwifery list (E-mail)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 9:36 AM > > > Subject: national homebirth awareness week 25-31 October > > > > > > > > > > G'day > > > > Several people have asked me if the midwifery campaign has posters > that > > > > express the goal of a known midwife and choice of place of birth. > > > > > > > > We don't, but that shouldn't stop anyone from making up their own. > > > > > > > > My suggestion is that anyone who has the computer capacity and > know-how > > > (or > > > > children/friends/partner) should make up posters (A4 pages can be > > > > enlarged). The posters should have a simple message such as a quote > > from > > > a > > > > woman as to why she chose to plan homebirth. > > > > "I chose homebirth because ..." > > > > Here are a couple of examples: > > > > > > > > "I chose homebirth because I want safety for myself and my baby." > > > > "I chose homebirth because giving birth is one of the most intimate > and > > > > important acts I will ever engage in." > > > > national homebirth awareness week > > > > 25-31 October > > > > [insert your local homebirth/maternity group's contact number] > > > > > > > > If you like this idea, and are able to make up some posters, please > > > > consider sharing your ideas via this list. Some people who can't do > it > > > for > > > > themselves may want to have copies made and posted to them, so you > > would > > > > need to set a fee to cover your costs. Also some might be prepared > to > > > > share photos. Some of the photos on my website would be suitable, > and > > the > > > > women would agree - I'll have to go through them. > > > > > > > > Not much time to get this organised, but it is do-able. > > > > Happy poster-making > > > > Joy Johnston > > > > 25 Eley Rd Blackburn South Vic 3130 > > > > Tel: 03 9808 9614 > > > > Fax: 03 9808 3611 > > > > M: 04111 90448 > > > > www.aitex.com.au/joy.htm > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > > > > -- > > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
