Hi
everyone,
Just
a bit on the community cabinet process as it is a fantastic opportunity to
actually meet with Ministers.
QLD Cabinet Ministers meet in regional areas
regularly. In 2002, Community Cabinets have been held at Stanthorpe (South East QLD), the Brisbane Convention
Centre, Moranbah (Central QLD), the State Library (Brisbane), Sunnybank Hills
(Brisbane), Cairns (North QLD), Barcaldine(Central QLD), Longreach (Western
Queensland), the Royal Queensland Show (the Ekka -Brisbane), Gympie
(South East QLD), Ipswich (South East QLD) and Chatsworth (North West QLD). In
addition a full Cabinet has meet in Townsville (North
QLD).
The cabinet meetings are part of the Government election promises
to get out of hear what the community is saying. "It's part of the commitment
to being a Government for everybody no matter where they live in
Queensland"
You
can request a formal deputation or just rock up on the day and hope for the
best. A formal deputation is the better option as you get allocated time but
you have to get in early. The Department of
Premier and Cabinet office handles the Community Cabinet so if
anyone is interested in attending one next year (I don't think there are any
more this year) I suggest you contact the Department and find out where
they are being held.
In addition there are quarterly Ministerial Forums
which are held in each region of QLD. At the Forums, two Cabinet Ministers
meet with twenty regional representatives, who represent a broad cross section
of the community to discuss ideas and issues of regional significance. The
purpose of the quarterly Forums is for regional communities to identify
priority issues, needs and problems they want to raise with Government, and
provide the mechanism for those issues to be presented directly to State
Government Ministers by community members. This is another good opportunity to
target the Pollies. There are opportunities for
local individuals and groups can
raise proposals directly with the State Government through these Forums . For
more information you need to talk to Regional Communities Division (Department
of Premier and Cabinet) on (07) 3235 9027
I am not sure if other states have similar processes
as it was an initiative that the Labour party set up as part of it's election
campaign.
Sally.
Dear Listers
I am forwarding part of an email from the
daughter of a friend in Brisbane to share with you her efforts and
enthusiasm
I did not know any premier had open house cabbinet
meetings??
denise
Hi
Denise,
............................I
went with friends to the community cabinet meeting at Ipswich recently
which starred Peter Beatty, Wendy Edmund etc and mmy friend put a question
to them at question time re what are they doing about improving the
maternity care for women and babies in QLD, in view of the horrendous
intervention and c-sec rates.
Of course Peter stumbled and bumbled and basically said that NMAP has
been presented to the Federal govt and it’s up to them to do something about
it and provide the funding and that he would refer our concerns to
them. Deb and I will be
visiting our local member very soon with Bruce Teackle I think. We are going to take a written
statement of what the ‘now’, what’s wrong with it, and what we want. I’m very excited about that. Birthtalk is going well and we have
started a media strategy so you might see/hear about us soon down that
way. And Deb and I are also off
to a meeting with the Homebirth association soon which I will really
enjoy. I heard a homebirth
story the other night at Birthtalk and it was so brilliant and powerful and
inspiring.
I
just noticed that email you forwarded was from Pinky McKay (The Bumper
Stickers) – do you know Pinky?
I’ve read some of her work, it’s wonderful stuff, I love the way she
advocates for parenting and mothering babies and children.
