CWA branches debate record number of motions at state conference in Forster

THE COUNTRY Women’s Association (CWA) of NSW held its 104th annual State Conference in Forster 3 – 7 May, hosted by the Mid North Coast Group at Club Forster.

The conference was attended by over 600 delegates and observers.

They spent four days debating a record number of more than 50 policy and six urgency motions from branches across the state.

Tanya Jolly, president of the CWA of NSW, said the urgency motions that come before the conference each year reflect issues of immediate and high concern to members and their communities.

This year, vulnerabilities around fuel security were front of mind.

“The announcement by the Federal Government this week that the budget will include a $10 billion funding package aimed at increasing Australia’s fuel stockpiles is certainly welcome and a step in the right direction when it comes to questions of fuel security,” she said.

“But it’s imperative now that we maintain this momentum, and the CWA of NSW will be doing all it can to keep our regulators firmly focused on this issue.”

Ms Jolly said it was also gratifying to see the urgency motion on maintaining critical roads over the Great Dividing Range pass unanimously, and the motion related to opposition to compulsory land acquisition for the likes of roads and pipelines.

“Critical road links between the coast and western NSW, like the Waterfall Way, Oxley Highway and Great Western Highway, have been closed or seriously impacted recently, and in the case of the Great Western Highway across the Blue Mountains, that closure appears to be long-term.

“It not only impacts NSW residents’ ability to travel across their state and get where they need to go, it has severe economic impacts on the communities in those areas.

“When these major roads are closed, too, the bypasses that are put in place often have to be on secondary roads that aren’t designed to withstand high volumes of traffic, causing major damage and compromising the safety of motorists.”

In line with CWA current Medical Research Project focus, the association also presented $45,000 to Pankind Australia, to assist with pancreatic cancer research.

By Pauline CAIN