Rural & Remote Qld THROUGH THE EYES OF WOMEN (QRWN)

By Beryl Spencer

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Issues facing Regional and Remote QldAs seen through the eyes of Women:•Lack of Equity•Lack of Funding•Lack of Infrastructure: Education, Health, Communication•Lack Anti and Postal Natal•Tyranny of Distance•From Drought to Floods and back again•Commodity Prices•Government legislation•The paper Trail

DIS-empower… Dis-engage

Loss of Self Esteem

SENCE OF HELPLESSNESS

(LOSS OF CONTROL OF LIVES)

Conflicting Reports ON GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

FAILED CROPS

FLOODS LOSS , PESTS DESTROYED CROPS

FINANCIAL STRESS

ROCK BOTTOM

NATURAL DISASTER

ALSO

OFTEN

FOLLOWED BY A TIME OF CRISIS

NATURAL DISASTER:

•Hurting•Confused•Angry•Grieving•Loss of Self Esteem

WHATEVER THE SOURCE OF LOSS … EFFECT VERY SIMILAR

•Battered•Tiredness, weariness•Health impact•Sickness/disease•Mental Health

HISTORY, VISION AND MISSION OF QRWNOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NCWQ ( NATIONAL COUNCIL OF

WOMEN INC QLD)

The Queensland Rural Women's Network Inc (QRWN) was formed in 1993 to meet the needs of women in rural communities throughout the state. The membership of QRWN includes women who are:  located in a rural or regional area  involved in a rural business (town based or primary production)  involved in a rural community  located in urban or coastal areas, and who have an interest in rural issues  interested in promoting strong links between the rural and urban sectors. Founding President Jan DarlingtonSome of the women involved today were part of that founding committee.Georgie Somerset, our current Leader was one. Others such as Rosemary Burnett are still very much involved.

QRWN's vision is to bring together women to:Support rural families, communities and enterprises and  Initiate projects around telecommunications, industry health and services in the rural sector

The Queensland Rural Women's Network has the following strategic objectives: Capacity building programs  Creating collaborative linkages with organisations and opportunities  Giving women a voice and creating influence with decision makers at all levels  Creating an inclusive safe environment for regional women to connect.

BUILDING WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

•APPROX 8 YEARS AGO THROUGH THE PRESIDENT OF NCQW (Pat burgess) QRWN AND NCWQ FORMED A WORKING RELATIONSHIP

• Beryl Spencer (Qrwn) became both Rural & Remote Advisor and Health and ageing Advisor to NCWQ•Combined Forums were held in a Western area and the first Gympie Forum was convened.• City women visited and learned of Regional and Remote Agricultural issues and together we formed resolutions that were then moved through the NCWA to appropriate Government level

•Gympie has continued in this role with firstly an annual Forum and now a bi-annual forum (health, mental health, drugs, agricultural issues such as the wild dog issue, environmental issues)•2010 Forum ‘Safe homes… Safe Communities” will be held on the 24th June at Ridgewood.•Beryl Spencer has been the Co-ordinator for these Forum over the last 6years.

•OTHER RELATIONSHIPS CONTINUE TO BE FORGEDWITH THE AGRICULTURAL , BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECTORS ( EG AGFORCE)

QRWN WOMEN LOBBY AND ADVOCATE

GEORGIE SOMERSET AND WENDY AGAR DUAL ROLE OF CHAIRING QRWN

THROUGH THE ROUND TABLE PROCESS WITH MINISTERS IN MT ISA, QRWN WAS APPOINTED TO BE INVOLVED IN A ROLE OF POLICY MAKING WITH THE QLD GOVERNMENT.

5 KEY AREAS:1.INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING2.HEALTH SERVICES3.EDUCATION4.SUSTAINABILITY5.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

THE HEARTS THAT MADE THIS NATION WERE THE WOMEN OF THE WEST

MANY OF US FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT WHILE WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE THAN THOSE WHO BLAZED A PATH FOR US A GENERATION AGO, WE STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO WORK FOR:

IN 2010:•WHERE IS THE EQUITY FOR REGIONAL AND REMOTE WOMEN?

•WHERE IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE: HEALTH, EDUCATION COMMUNICATION?

•WHERE IS THE RELEIF OR RESPITE FOR THOSE WHO CARE FOR MENTAL DISPORDERS??

DARE I SAY WE HAVE JUST BEGUN COME WITH US AND MAKE A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE NEXT

GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMENOF THE WEST.

IF WE ARE TO SEE ANOTHER GENERATION OF WOMEN OF THE WEST RAISE THEIR FAMILIES, THEN WE MUST CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AND LOBBY FOR THE EQUITY THEY NEED TO SURVIVE

Women of the west still innovators, lobbyists, advocators, farmers, mothers, grandmothers

LEADERS OF THIS NATION