Thursday, July 13, 2006

CWA face challenges of a changing social fabric

With the CWA suffering from a decline in member numbers and rumours of a local branch's closure, Anthea Gleeson asks what it is that today's rural women seek when they choose to contribute to a community group.

ON July 21, the ladies of the Longreach branch of the Country Women’s Association will come together for their annual meeting.

Visited by many for their arts and crafts at local shows and markets, for 50 years the CWA has also been known as a social and political institution of rural Australia.

For branch secretary Gwen Rogers of ‘Glendon’, next week’s gathering will be her fortieth Central Western division CWA annual meeting, an occasion she regularly uses to catch up with friends old and new.

"The original branch of the CWA in this area took in all the properties, and we used to meet in each other’s homes for meetings and handicraft.
"I was the handicraft person, then I was made vice-president and eventually became the president.
"I was a shy mum of six who learnt to speak in front of people through my duties with the CWA. "I had to take resolutions to Brisbane and speak in front of 500 women, which was quite nerve racking at the time.
"The CWA opened up a big pond, rather than living in a little one."

Mrs Roger’s story is a common one among country women who grew up on the isolated properties and towns of post-war Australia.

The CWA offered housewives a chance to network before anyone had heard of such a thing, and provided a social platform on which women could contribute to their communities in a collective, and sometimes even political, manner.

Despite being cited as Australia’s largest women’s organisation, with a membership topping 44,000 in 1,855 branches, the Longreach CWA branch is struggling to find women to fill its ranks.

"It was discussed that the branch might have to be put into recess because our president had to give her position up and there was just no one to replace her," Mrs Rogers said.

"We wrote to all the members detailing the situation and we had a pleasing turn up for the next meeting.
"Even though there are not many of us now, we want to carry on."

With advances in communication technologies – emailing, teleconferencing and video conferencing – once ‘isolated’ women no longer need to travel long distances to have their voices heard.

As women across the country become increasingly time-poor, many use their personal computers to bridge the distances of isolated communities: as a consequence interest in committees, organisations and association becomes more and more pragmatic.

With technology conquering the once tyrannic barrier of distance, people with agricultural or rural interests are now faced with the dilemma of choosing an organisation which best represents their ideals and needs – as well as fits in with busy schedules.

Rural parents are often keen to pitch in with Isolated Children’s and Parent’s Association (ICPA) to ensure that their children have the same educational opportunities as the city kids, while the ‘man-on-the-land’ may affiliate with lobby groups such as AgForce, who represent primary producers at a State level.

Similarly young rural women, keen to expand their horizons are not limited when it comes to choice.

Louisa McKerrow of Longreach had a long family history of involvement with community issues passed onto her at a young age.

Ten years ago, Ms McKerrow felt it was time she became more involved with the issues that could affect her as a ‘rural woman’ and joined Queensland Rural Women’s Network.

"The then State president was Barb Anderson, who is a fantastic woman," Ms McKerrow said.
"Plus it was such an inspiration to have someone from a Winton property as State president.

"Like many of my family members I felt I too wanted to be more active in community development."

While many rural grandmothers, mothers and daughters aspire to change the lives of their fellow women, Mrs Rogers believes that, although often underestimated, it is still the CWA that has the greatest influence and she actively encourages aspiring young women to take their place in the ranks of the venerable organisation.

With clout in local, State and federal politics, the CWA has contributed to societal infrastructure over the decades from all levels, whether providing meal kits to Australian troops or supporting university research into the impact of sexually explicit material.

"Quite often it is the CWA representative who is the only woman in a parliamentary sitting," Mrs Rogers said.

"The different branches of the CWA can approach the State council directly with resolutions and recommendations. The council then considers these before being presented before the relevant State ministers.
"We still have a voice in the community."

If you'd like to learn more about the CWA, you can go to their website at www.cwaa.org.au or if you think you may be interested in joining the Longreach CWA please contact branch president Gwen Rogers on 4658 9146.
More information on QRWN is available at www.qrwn.org.au or by emailing State president Di Gresham at pres@qrwn.org.au

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