CWA! HERE TO STAY!

Sounds like a union chant, doesn’t it? 

Somehow though, I can’t see a group of angry geriatrics marching in front of the local council offices with placards demanding a ‘fair go’.  The ladies of the Country Women’s Association of Victoria are far too classy for such behaviour.

I recently learnt of a situation in the lovely town of Castlemaine, where the CWA ladies have run into some difficulties, at the hands of the local council. 

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/asylum-seekers-leave-their-mark-on-cwa-in-castlemaine/story-e6frfhqf-1226263185720

Of all things for Andrew Bolt to blog about…

Anyway, the upshot of the article is that some years ago, the CWA ladies gave up the weatherboard building where they held their meetings for the council.  The building was relocated to a local reserve, and in the CWA ladies were permitted to use the new Ray Bradfield Rooms at no charge.

It was an old school handshake agreement, which no one can seem to find any paperwork to support.

Be that as it may, the Mt Alexander Shire Council has now decided that the ladies need to contribute $2500.00 a year to the shire for the use of these rooms. 

Why?  Because the previous agreement was made by the ‘old shire’ and, more than likely, other groups could possibly use the room AND pay for it.

So much for crown honour.

Now, being a member of a rural branch of the CWA myself, I am proud to say that the community hall we meet at supports us and charges us a minimal fee for usage.  I think it’s fair to pay a fee, and our branch has no qualms in doing so.  We appreciate the support of our Shire, through our community hall committee.

However, we don’t have a ‘free pass’ handshake agreement in place either, unlike the ladies at Castlemaine.

Not only did they have an ‘understanding’ with the council (which, according to the Mt Alexander Mayor Janet Cropley, is a ‘myth’), but there is no way a very small, rural based branch of the CWA can produce can $2500.00 per year.  They would be lucky to fund raise a quarter of that.

AND, to rub salt into their wounds even further, the Major declared that ‘there’s nothing special about the CWA’.

Nothing special.  About the CWA.

Sure, the CWA are no less or no more important than any other community/charity group out there.  Granted.  But… nothing special?

Mmmm… forget the decades and decades of tradition within this organisation.  Forget the local, state-wide, national and international charity work that this organisation does. Forget the sisterhood and companionship that this group provides to women in rural areas.  It all means nothing.

I wonder if the soldiers in Afghanistan think ‘there’s nothing special about the CWA’ when they pull on their hand knitted beanies and fingerless gloves during the cold Afghan night. 

I wonder if the new mothers in the Mansfield region think ‘there’s nothing special about the CWA’ when they receive their ‘new mum’ package from the ladies from the Mansfield CWA?

I wonder if the teachers at Tooborac Primary School think ‘there’s nothing special about the CWA’ when their kids are receiving valuable assistance when attending their YELP classes; funded by the CWA.

I wonder if the various organisations, schools, hospitals, charities, fire brigades, families, students and farmers that benefit from the organisations fundraising efforts, think there’s nothing special about the CWA?

Clearly the members of the Castlemaine Football club don’t.

On MTR Radio, the president of the CFC said that he’s more than happy for the ladies to use their club rooms for their meetings, free of charge.  ‘They’re a valuable part of our community, and we appreciate the ladies of the CWA.’

Well, I’m glad someone does.

Maybe they need to point that out to the Mt Alexander Major.  Though, I’m tipping after the roasting she received the other morning on MTR Radio, and the hammering she’s apparently received in the local media, she will certainly be thinking about it now.

This defector from Dandenong, (yeah, I’m one of them too!) clearly doesn’t understand the way a country town works.  So, I’ll happily share my gained knowledge with her, and assist my fellow Nong-ite. 

It’s quite simple, really: don’t piss off the footy club, the netball club, the CFA or the CWA, and you’ll be right.

Mmm… she may have the power to enforce change, but so do the people.  Their power is much greater, and usually unleashed with vengeance at a polling booth.

Now if you’ll forgive me, I’m off to bake some scones.

Peace out.