Revealed: The QCWA resolutions carried at the 2022 state conference in Gladstone

Two-hundred and twenty two delegates from across Queensland pledged their support behind important issues such as safer pedestrian crosses, parking, sanitary bins for male toilets, distance education accommodation, palliative care in regional areas, domestic violence and fall armyworm control.

The conference also hosted the state finals for public speaking, poetry, cookery, handcraft, piece making, floral art, knitting and crochet competitions, with the respective winners announced over the course of the week.

Related Reading: Faces from the QCWA conference in Gladstone 2021 | Photos

The following issues were some of the resolutions that were moved and carried by the QCWA delegates over the three days.

One of the urgent resolutions brought forward to the QCWA branch delegates was addressing the Warrego Highway speed limit at Miles.

The Miles branch has asked the QCWA to "strongly request" the State government to reduce the 60km speed limit to 40km in Murilla Street, Miles, between Dawson Street and the RJ Simmonds Bridge.

The delegates have asked for the immediate installation of pedestrian activated traffic lights in the Miles CBD, to allow safe access from one side to the other of Murilla Street before lives are lost.

Moved by Miles branch delegates Susan Gales and seconded by Jennifer Sigfield, Ms Gale said an accident was inevitable without designated pedestrian crossings

"Hundreds of heavy vehicles carrying livestock, mining equipment and supplies, fuel and chemicals pass through the Central Business area of Miles every day of the week. A truck travelling at 60 km per hour has little hope of stopping should a person, young or old or in between, step out to cross the street now," Ms Gale said.

"We are told the speed limit will be reduced to 50km per hour through town when the redevelopment is complete, but our argument is, why are the workers on the sight entitled to a 40km per hour zone while they work, but the community who lives and works there every day is not entitled to this same level of safety when the workers are gone?"

The resolution was carried unanimously, with all 222 delegates voting to "urgently request" the Minister for Queensland Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey to ensure the road is safe for all road-users and pedestrians.

Another matter put forward to delegates was increased parking and better road access to Calliope State School, to enhance the safety of all road users and reduce congestion in the area.

Moved by Bryanne Kerr of the Calliope CWA branch and seconded by Rhonda Ware of Boyne Valley branch, the Calliope branch have asked for a pedestrian crossing.

Ms Kerr said lack of parking and poor road access meant that families and their children were risking their lives, whilst crossing the road to get to school.

"The Calliope State School is situated on the Dawson Highway, Calliope. The school caters for approximately 650 students, ranging from Prep to Grade 6," Ms Kerr said.

"The Dawson Highway is a heavy vehicle and dangerous goods route, with heavy vehicles travelling past the school, including quarry loads, logging trucks dangerous goods vehicles carrying fuel or ammonium nitrate.

"Increased parking and better road access to Calliope State School will enhance the safety of all road users and reduce congestion."

The resolution was again carried unanimously, with all 222 delegates voting to take the request to Transport and Main Roads, Education Queensland and Gladstone Regional Council.

The issue of no sanitary bins for male public toilets also addressed at this year's conference.

The resolution was put forward by the delegates of the Darling Downs division, who have requested that sanitary bins be provided in male public toilets in public parks and shopping centres throughout Queensland.

Moved by Highfields CWA branch delegate Gladys McKay and seconded by Crystal Wenham of Middle Ridge, Ms Mckay said sanitary bins are considered a routine convenience in female toilets but are non-existent in male toilets.

"It has been brought to the attention of the QCWA that men's public toilets do not have disposal bins," Ms Mckay said.

"With the awareness of Prostate Cancer in our community being foremost in health education, consideration of supplying bins for the disposal of continence aids is much needed.

"Men have to take their used pouch or pad out to their wife/partner for them to dispose of in the female toilets. What about a man who does not have someone to do that for him?

The resolution was carried and the QCWA will send letters to State Health Department and Local Governments.

That QCWA has strongly requested that the Minister for Education allow on site accommodation at geographically isolated schools of Distance Education for families to have affordable access to attend Mini-school and other activities.

Related Reading: Accommodation hopes renewed for Longreach distance ed families

Moved by Gwen Rogers of the Longreach branch and seconded by Bryanne Kerr of the Calliope branch, Ms Rogers argued mini schools are extremely important for rural and remote Distance Education students and parents.

"This is often their only interaction with their peer group, being able to work in a classroom, participate in teams sport and connect with others to break the isolation. So important for mental health and well-being," Ms Rogers said.

The resolution was carried unanimously.

Queensland's demographic profile in 2019 stated that 15.7 per cent of the population are over 65 years.

Access to important services such as palliative care remains very limited and may require residents to travel of hundreds to thousands of kilometres for care.

The QCWA has "strongly requested" that both State and Federal governments increase funding for palliative care and community outreach services.

Put forward by Michele Connors of the Emu Park branch and seconded by Margaret Laughton of Gracemere, Ms Connors said publicly funded palliative care services are limited and provided mainly in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Townsville.

"People who are dying frequently want to do so in the comfort of their own homes. Community Outreach Services which would support the patient and their families in the community are extremely limited in regional and rural locations and non-existent in remote areas," Ms Connors said.

"When a family member wants to die at home the responsibility for care falls on women, and frequently it is older women who bear the burden of this care in the community. Palliative care for patients in publicly funded regional and rural hospitals are also very limited.

"Additional funding is required to provide designated palliative care in-patient beds in regional hospitals and access to community outreach services in regional, rural and remote parts of Queensland. "

The resolution was carried unanimously.

The QCWA delegates have unanimously carried a resolution calling for victims of domestic violence be able to apply for a Caveat without having to pay fees.

Put forward by Joy Coulson of the Eumundi branch and seconded by Patsy Lee of the Maleny branch, Ms Coulson said caveats are often lodged when parties are in dispute over property matters.

"The caveat preserves the status quo of the property title to allow time for the parties to resolve the dispute, either between themselves or through the court system," Ms Coulson said.

"Significant fees are payable when lodging a Caveat. For those in domestic violence situations these fees can be unaffordable due to an immediate need to escape and due to financial abuse. Fees for a simple caveat lodgement are $232 plus legal fees."

The resolution was carried unanimously.

Another issue brought to the QCWA conference was that Legal Aid be required to provide continuous services for domestic violence victims throughout the year.

Moved again by Joy Coulson of Eumundi branch and seconded Patsy Lee of the Maleny branch, Ms Coulson said research shows domestic violence is known to spike over the Christmas period.

"Over this period, Legal Aid in Queensland closes its services for up to 2 weeks leaving victims vulnerable when most in need," Ms Coulson said.

"Christmas tends to be a time of more. More family visits, more food shopping, more present buying, more alcohol consumed, more spending. This season of more can exacerbate families under strain. This can lead to domestic violence in the household."

The resolution was carried unanimously and the QCWA has strongly requested that Legal Aid be required to provide continuous services throughout the year and where continuous service is not possible, accessible by a 24hr hotline be provided to allow victims of domestic violence to access.

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