October 10, 2004

Midwifery loses out again in Australia

I must admit that today I am depressed. I had hoped that in today’s general election in Australia, we would get a Government that is supportive (or at least leaning in that direction) of midwifery and that we would have the hope of support, at long last, for independent midwifery and community based midwifery programs.

Alas, it is not to be. Instead, we will have “more of the same” - support for the obstetricians, a blind eye turned towards their blatant ripping off of the Medicare system and conservative voices extolling the benefits of “fee for service” that has bedevilled our attempts to get a more equitable health care system for all. I can’t believe that Australians have not seen through the lies and deceptions of this Government, yet they have. The fact that in Australia voting is compulsory only makes it worse - in counties like Britain and the US where voting is not mandatory, it must be possible to blame those few who do take the trouble to vote for the ailments of their electoral system. In OZ, this excuse doesn’t hold water, and I must accept that the cunning and wiliness of a conservative old-timer has once again appealed to the lowest common denominator and won office by appealing to their hip pocket nerves rather than the collective good.

What a shame. One big loser will be midwifery, which needs far-sighted and broad minded political leaders who are prepared to tackle the medical lobby so that ordinary women get some decent choice in how they give birth. We were making some headway with the Opposition party and the major alternative political groupings and some valuable concessions and commitments had been wrung from them in the heat of the political battle. It is hard to imagine any of these pipe dreams coming to fruition now, or at least, not until we can change this Federal Government and its allies.

Not all is lost, however. The various States are all still in the hands of the socialists, so it is to them that we must now turn our attention. Each State has a major role in the way that health funding is distributed, so there is still the possibility that they will see the light and make the necessary arrangements that will enable midwives and midwifery to flourish. It would have been so much easier if our central Government was supportive as well. The battle goes on, and we are a resilient, resourceful lot. After time to lick our wounds after this furious election round, no doubt we will rally and take the fight for choices for women to another political battlefields.

I was sorry that the election was called for a date when I would not be in Sydney, but now perhaps I am glad that I am not there to feel more directly, the pain of the reformers and innovators whose dreams have been dashed again.

Posted by andrea at October 10, 2004 06:18 AM