by Jo Hunter,

Homebirth Australia

Women and their families are travelling from all over the country to attend the MOTHER of all birth rallies on Monday September 7th, 2009.

The rally is to take place outside Parliament House at 1130am. We are expecting a HUGE turn out and plenty of media attention.

We have been contacted by many women who have been told by QANTAS that they will need to reschedule their flights as they have booked too many babies on their flights to Canberra over the 3 days surrounding the rally.

This has apparently never happened before.

If you are booked to travel by plane to Canberra it may be worth ringing the airline to check as some women have been told that they could be turned away at the airport because by law they are only allowed to have 8 babies per flight.

We will be presenting our petition to the Health Minister during the rally. HBA are pleased to be subsidising some buses and accommodation from Sydney and Melbourne to Canberra for midwifery students and others who may not otherwise have been able to attend the rally. The support from so many has been overwhelming and heart-warming and we couldn’t possibly attempt to thank each of you individually, however you know who you are and we deeply thank you.
SIGN THE PETITION
We have had an incredible response and have received 17,765 signatures in support of a woman’s right to choose homebirth with a midwife. If you would also like to sign this petition, click here.

UNABLE TO ATTEND THE RALLY?

If you can’t be with us on September 7, please purchase a virtual rally ticket. Send us your headshot and message (please make this less than 25 words as it will need to be scribed) and we will create a cut-out to place in the ground outside Parliament House. Your pledge will go towards the printing and assembly of your ‘cut-out’ and will enable HBA to subsidise the travel and accommodation of those who may not otherwise be able to attend. To purchase a virtual rally ticket please click here.

Looking forward to seeing many of you in Canberra.

For more information on Home Birth Australia, visit their website by clicking here.