Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We know that there is an event happening this weekend.
It's called Our Birth, Our Voice. It's a community lead
forum for women to share their stories and for leaders
the media to listen to what families need from maternity
services in the Northern Territory. Now joining us on the
line is well, fairly new, mum. I reckon her bum
(00:21):
must be a few weeks or a few months old,
I reckon right now, Tessa, good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Good morning Katie. Yes she is, she's four months now.
It's gone very quickly.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Goodness me, is she rolling over or as she is
staying quite still for you still, Tessa?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
No, she's staying quite still, which I am not complaining
about at all.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
No, I agree. I agree. Once they get started, goodness me,
As you know, it's hard to keep them still once
they get going.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
That's right. And having a second is you know, the
longer adul takes, I certainly won't be complaining, I.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Agree now, Tessa. Around one hundred moms, dad's, grandparents and
health workers attended the previous forum that you guys had organized,
But this one, I think it's probably going to be
a bit bigger because you're inviting as well the media
to head along if they want to, and our community
leaders who are you expecting to come on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
So we've had confirmations from a number of the local members,
which is fantastic. The Federal Member for Solomon will be
in attendance, Minister Hersey will be coming along, and the
Leader of the Opposition will be there as well as
Clinton Howe who he spoke in Parliament on the sixteenth
(01:45):
of October when this was introduced as a matter of
public importance. So that's fantastic. Unfortunately, the Health Minister is
not available, which is really disappointing because it is such
an important topic. But he as he has indicated that
he's arranged for Minister Hersey to come along in his stead,
(02:07):
and we're waiting to hear back from the Chief Minister.
We're really hopeful that she will be there and show
the support to the community and you know, acknowledge the
importance of this issue. We're waiting to hear from her office.
So fingers crossed.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah, well that is good to hear, and I think
so long as you've got those government representatives there as well,
so that that message can get back to the Chief
Minister and to the Health Minister. I mean, what are
you hoping that they hear really loudly and clearly, Tessa.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
We're hoping that they firstly they get to hear from
the horse's mouth, so to speak, the store that we've
been hearing from some of the mums around the Northern Territory,
the good, the bad, and unfortunately in some circumstances, the
very devastating. But also we've got Cas Hatcher who's going
(02:56):
to come along and speak on behalf of the midwives,
which is really really great, and hopefully that they can
hear some of the challenges that the workforce are facing,
but also what we're looking for in terms of moving
things along and really really hoping for a bipartisan approach
to this from both the territory and the federal government, Katie.
(03:18):
So we're hoping that if they can come along here's
some of what here's some of the stories, here what
we've got to say, then it might be sort of
taken on board. And as I said, we have a
bipartisan approach to improving maternity services, not just in Darwin
but around the territory.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And Tessa, what are you ladies hearing as well about
the midwives at Royal Darwin Hospital and so you know
some of what he is going on at the moment.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, So we've heard lots of stories about obviously they're
struggling to recruit and retain staff for both birth suites
and for the mid MGP program, which includes the home
birth program. There was a post on a Facebook group
last night Katie which indicated a mum who's in the
(04:06):
home Birthing program has been told by Artie H that
she won't be able to have her home birth because
they don't have the staff available to facilitate that. So
that's just another option of you know, birth option that's
been taken off the table. We don't have any further
information about that, and we do have a meeting with
(04:26):
Artie H today, so I will be asking about that specifically,
whether that is just something that's for the months of
November that's not going to be available, or whether it's
looking like that's going to be a longer term issue
for the home birthing program. But we know that they
have had real difficulty recruiting and retaining staff within the
MGP program and caf Hatchu will obviously be able to
(04:49):
speak on Saturday specifically to those issues and what the
midwives are telling her. But we've also heard, you know,
there's still this issue about contracts and not providing permanent
positions for Midwiffree staff, not providing flexible employment for them
to be able to I mean lots of our midwives
(05:09):
and mums as well, and they want to have flexible
employment options available to them and that's just not on
the table at the moment for them.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
That's disappointing because you know, like a lot of workplaces
now do try to really make sure that there are
some flexible options for mums. Because I'll tell you what
you want something done, you ask a busy mum.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
That is very true, Katie, and I think we only
have to look at our little group of full new mums.
We're all juggling, some of us very very new infants,
and we've sort of managed to pull together this forum
and the one before that, and it's been raised as
a matter of public importance by Parliament in Parliament by
(05:51):
the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. So I think you're
on the money there and we're losing really really with
the staff by not offering that job flexibility. And so
I think Anty Health really needs to have a look
at that, look very carefully at that, and hopefully be
able to make some changes that enable us to try
(06:13):
and retain the midwives that we do have in the
Northern Territory.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
So if anyone is keen to head along on the weekend,
what are the details, where's it happening and what time.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
So it's twelve o'clock on Saturday at Darling's Passerbar, which
is just behind Ray's sixty six Smith Street, and we'll
have an open floor for mums to speak if they
do wish to share their stories. We do have some
scheduled speakers as well, and also an open floor if
any other professionals would like to speak. And then at
(06:45):
the conclusion we'll have the opportunity for any of the
government representatives to speak and also of course media if
they've got questions of anybody that they'd like to ask.
So we really encourage mums, dads, grandma's, concerned community members
to I'm along on Saturday so that the government, the
powers that be can hear what everybody has to say
(07:05):
and as I said, hopefully treat this matter with the
importance that it deserves.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Well. Tessa Sislowsky, we really appreciate your time. We might
try and catch up with you next week to find
out how it's all gone. It sounds like I should
try and have a catch up with Kath Hatcher as well.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
That would be wonderful. Katie and I hope you have
a lovely weekend.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
I hope you do as well. Thank you so much
for your time, really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Thank you, thank you.
We know that there is an event happening this weekend.
It's called Our Birth, Our Voice. It's a community lead
forum for women to share their stories and for leaders
the media to listen to what families need from maternity
services in the Northern Territory. Now joining us on the
line is well, fairly new, mum. I reckon her bum
(00:21):
must be a few weeks or a few months old,
I reckon right now, Tessa, good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Good morning Katie. Yes she is, she's four months now.
It's gone very quickly.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Goodness me, is she rolling over or as she is
staying quite still for you still, Tessa?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
No, she's staying quite still, which I am not complaining
about at all.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
No, I agree. I agree. Once they get started, goodness me,
As you know, it's hard to keep them still once
they get going.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
That's right. And having a second is you know, the
longer adul takes, I certainly won't be complaining, I.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Agree now, Tessa. Around one hundred moms, dad's, grandparents and
health workers attended the previous forum that you guys had organized,
But this one, I think it's probably going to be
a bit bigger because you're inviting as well the media
to head along if they want to, and our community
leaders who are you expecting to come on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
So we've had confirmations from a number of the local members,
which is fantastic. The Federal Member for Solomon will be
in attendance, Minister Hersey will be coming along, and the
Leader of the Opposition will be there as well as
Clinton Howe who he spoke in Parliament on the sixteenth
(01:45):
of October when this was introduced as a matter of
public importance. So that's fantastic. Unfortunately, the Health Minister is
not available, which is really disappointing because it is such
an important topic. But he as he has indicated that
he's arranged for Minister Hersey to come along in his stead,
(02:07):
and we're waiting to hear back from the Chief Minister.
We're really hopeful that she will be there and show
the support to the community and you know, acknowledge the
importance of this issue. We're waiting to hear from her office.
So fingers crossed.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah, well that is good to hear, and I think
so long as you've got those government representatives there as well,
so that that message can get back to the Chief
Minister and to the Health Minister. I mean, what are
you hoping that they hear really loudly and clearly, Tessa.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
We're hoping that they firstly they get to hear from
the horse's mouth, so to speak, the store that we've
been hearing from some of the mums around the Northern Territory,
the good, the bad, and unfortunately in some circumstances, the
very devastating. But also we've got Cas Hatcher who's going
(02:56):
to come along and speak on behalf of the midwives,
which is really really great, and hopefully that they can
hear some of the challenges that the workforce are facing,
but also what we're looking for in terms of moving
things along and really really hoping for a bipartisan approach
to this from both the territory and the federal government, Katie.
(03:18):
So we're hoping that if they can come along here's
some of what here's some of the stories, here what
we've got to say, then it might be sort of
taken on board. And as I said, we have a
bipartisan approach to improving maternity services, not just in Darwin
but around the territory.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And Tessa, what are you ladies hearing as well about
the midwives at Royal Darwin Hospital and so you know
some of what he is going on at the moment.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, So we've heard lots of stories about obviously they're
struggling to recruit and retain staff for both birth suites
and for the mid MGP program, which includes the home
birth program. There was a post on a Facebook group
last night Katie which indicated a mum who's in the
(04:06):
home Birthing program has been told by Artie H that
she won't be able to have her home birth because
they don't have the staff available to facilitate that. So
that's just another option of you know, birth option that's
been taken off the table. We don't have any further
information about that, and we do have a meeting with
(04:26):
Artie H today, so I will be asking about that specifically,
whether that is just something that's for the months of
November that's not going to be available, or whether it's
looking like that's going to be a longer term issue
for the home birthing program. But we know that they
have had real difficulty recruiting and retaining staff within the
MGP program and caf Hatchu will obviously be able to
(04:49):
speak on Saturday specifically to those issues and what the
midwives are telling her. But we've also heard, you know,
there's still this issue about contracts and not providing permanent
positions for Midwiffree staff, not providing flexible employment for them
to be able to I mean lots of our midwives
(05:09):
and mums as well, and they want to have flexible
employment options available to them and that's just not on
the table at the moment for them.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
That's disappointing because you know, like a lot of workplaces
now do try to really make sure that there are
some flexible options for mums. Because I'll tell you what
you want something done, you ask a busy mum.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
That is very true, Katie, and I think we only
have to look at our little group of full new mums.
We're all juggling, some of us very very new infants,
and we've sort of managed to pull together this forum
and the one before that, and it's been raised as
a matter of public importance by Parliament in Parliament by
(05:51):
the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. So I think you're
on the money there and we're losing really really with
the staff by not offering that job flexibility. And so
I think Anty Health really needs to have a look
at that, look very carefully at that, and hopefully be
able to make some changes that enable us to try
(06:13):
and retain the midwives that we do have in the
Northern Territory.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
So if anyone is keen to head along on the weekend,
what are the details, where's it happening and what time.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
So it's twelve o'clock on Saturday at Darling's Passerbar, which
is just behind Ray's sixty six Smith Street, and we'll
have an open floor for mums to speak if they
do wish to share their stories. We do have some
scheduled speakers as well, and also an open floor if
any other professionals would like to speak. And then at
(06:45):
the conclusion we'll have the opportunity for any of the
government representatives to speak and also of course media if
they've got questions of anybody that they'd like to ask.
So we really encourage mums, dads, grandma's, concerned community members
to I'm along on Saturday so that the government, the
powers that be can hear what everybody has to say
(07:05):
and as I said, hopefully treat this matter with the
importance that it deserves.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Well. Tessa Sislowsky, we really appreciate your time. We might
try and catch up with you next week to find
out how it's all gone. It sounds like I should
try and have a catch up with Kath Hatcher as well.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
That would be wonderful. Katie and I hope you have
a lovely weekend.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
I hope you do as well. Thank you so much
for your time, really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Thank you, thank you.
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