Birth Rally in Werribee, Monday Nov 9

Now there's one for us Victorians, too.

Please come! Let's not give up and go away quietly.

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In solidarity with our northern sisters (who will be rallying outside Kevin Rudds Brisbane office), please come and rally outside Deputy Prime Minster Julia Gillard?s Werribee office this coming Monday, from 10.30 am.

As a result of the mess that maternity reform has become and the unclear but seemingly very poor options for homebirthing women, Homebirth Australia, with the support of Maternity Coalition, are hosting a rally outside Julia Gillard?s electorate office in WERRIBEE.

We need this to be as big as possible. We invite other groups to join the rally to make this the beginning of a very clear election campaign.

Homebirth: Our bodies Our babies Our Choice

Julia Gillard needs to be made to understand very clearly that there is a problem. We have tried writing submissions, protesting in Maribyrnong and Canberra, contacting the health minister Nicola Roxon by phone and email, but she is not listening. It is time we took the fight to Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.

Julia Gillard?s electoral office
Shop 2, 36 Synnot Street
Werribee, VIC, 3030

Monday 9th November 2009 from 10:30am

Women, children, men, families, friends who support choice in birth, including homebirth with a private midwife.

Bring banners, drums and percussion instruments. Let?s make sure we are seen and heard!!

Bring a 'calling card' to drop off, letting our Deputy Prime Minister know that women want choice in childbirth and this includes the choice to hire a private midwife to birth at home (or in hospital) - insured and funded. The calling card should be an A4 piece of paper (can be larger or smaller) with your name and address, concerns, experience, suggestions and a request for a response from Julia Gillard about this important issue.

The rally was suggested by Homebirth Australia and is supported by Maternity Coalition.

More info

HBA: Justine Caines justine.caines@gmail.com 0408 210 273

MC: Melissa McFarlane melissa@boundlessblue.com.au 0423 155 460

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I will see if DH will go with the kids. I wish I could have the time off work :(

The Maternity Services Reform process that promised so much to so many, is now at risk from the medical lobby, who would strip many women of birth choices and options that are currently open to them.

Nicola Roxon yesterday announced amendments to the midwifery legislation that is currently before Parliament which will fundamentally redefine the nature of midwifery in Australia particularly homebirth midwifery. The new clause requires midwives to enter into “collaborative arrangements with medical practitioners" in order to access the new arrangements. It effectively appoints private obstetricians and GP obstetricians as the gatekeepers for access to private midwifery care in Australia. This amendment requires midwives to have a “collaborative arrangement” in place at all times. If a midwife is unable to comply she will face loss of registration, insurance and Medicare.

How will it be possible for independent private practice midwives to support women to birth at home or in hospital? How will it be possible to expand options of midwifery care such as birth centres? How can home birth midwives "collaborate" with practitioners who do not believe that home birth should be available as a model of care for women?

Medical practitioners have powerful cultural and financial incentives to disable private midwifery and de-rail other models of midwifery care. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) have widely and publicly condemned homebirth and vilified privately practicing midwives. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RANZCOG) expressly state that they do not support homebirth or freestanding birth centres.

RANZCOG position statement on home birth reads –
“The College does not support Home Birth or ‘Free-standing’ Birth Centres (without adjacent obstetric and neonatal facilities) as appropriate Health Care Settings."
"Home birth should not be offered as a Model of Care".

Come, rally with us! Raise your voice to tell the leaders of this government that women must retain the right to choose, where, how and with whom they give birth.

Politicians need to understand that we will not take the erosion of women’s basic rights lying back in stirrups, and we are not going to go away. We have written thousands of submissions. We have petitioned Health Minister Nicola Roxon directly through thousands of emails and phone calls. We have protested in record numbers outside Parliament House in Canberra. Roxon is not listening and she is failing Australian women and their families.

We are asking Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard and Tanya Plibersek to guarantee that Australian women’s birthing rights are protected.

Please come and make a stand.