The Greens support the rights of women to choose safe homebirths with the assistance of a midwife and have been working to strengthen the government’s midwives legislation.

But the government’s amendment to their bill, to be debated next week, requires midwives to work at all times in formal collaborative arrangements with doctors as a condition of insurance. Doctors will be able to veto these arrangements effectively giving the medical profession the ability to control which midwives can be insured and register.

“We find this completely unacceptable as it may erode rather than expand choices as doctors make decisions about what types of care to support,” Australian Greens health spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“The Greens are deeply concerned about this amendment as it undermines the role of midwives and the capacity for women to choose a home birth. We are currently consulting widely around options for amendments to this legislation.

“We will continue to fight for greater choice and less interventionist maternity care and support the Australian Private Midwives Association’s call for the government to make sure options for choice are not lost in the process of this reform,” Senator Siewert said.

Read Australian College of Midwives media release here.

From left: Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown, Senate candidates Jenny Stirling, Larissa Waters (lead), Libby Connors and Candidate for the Division of Brisbane, Andrew Bartlett.

“We will campaign strongly to win a Greens’ Senate seat in Queensland. Larissa will make a fine addition to our team in the Senate. When the Nationals and the Liberals tried to block the economic stimulus in the Senate, the Greens succeeded in negotiating better outcomes, saving tens of thousands of jobs in Queensland. Because of the Greens, millions of dollars are now being invested in Queensland heritage, bikeways and other local job creation projects.”

“I’m delighted that former Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett will be the Greens candidate for the very green seat of Brisbane. Andrew’s experience and huge knowledge of Queensland will give voters in Brisbane a real alternative to the old parties,” Senator Brown said.

Mr Bartlett said: “The Greens are a genuine threat in a number of House of Representative seats at next year’s election. We need to take the fight up to the major parties in as many seats as possible to force better policies and genuine debate on vital issues like climate change, underemployment, housing affordability, human rights, accountability and sensible economic management.”

Ms Waters said: “As a Greens Senator for Queensland, I would bring a long term view which is beholden to the planet, not the big end of town. I’ll stand up for the Reef, our rivers, our forests and coastal areas, and to represent Queenslanders who want real action on climate change and a just and sustainable future.”

Larissa Waters leads an all-female Senate ticket with candidates Libby Connors from regional Queensland and Jenny Stirling from North Queensland.

The Greens have welcomed federal funding to help King Island develop its plans to switch to 100% renewable power.

“Congratulations to all those in the King Island community and beyond who have helped make this exciting renewable energy plan a reality,” Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne said.

“King Island rightly has a reputation for being clean, green and clever, and this welcome funding should help the island leave polluting fossil fuels behind altogether, demonstrating to the rest of Australia how 100% renewably-powered grids can work.

“I was very pleased to see what is being done with King Island’s power when I visited recently, and encouraged everyone to get behind the push to go 100% renewable. I’m delighted that real progress is being made.

“Between wind power, solar power, biodiesel and innovative electricity storage systems, King Island can go 100% renewable, and this welcome funding can help make it a reality. ”It is ironic that all of Tasmania except the Bass Strait Islands had 100% renewable power before the short-sighted and tragic decision to pursue BassLink that made Tasmania an importer of Victoria’s dirty brown coal.

“Now King Island is leading the way back again.

“It is also ironic that the Rudd Government is still focusing on renewable energy at the margins, when huge progress can be made in shifting the whole country to clean, jobs-rich and pollution free power.”