THE cancellation of the CWA NSW's annual conference has failed to deter the members of the Tamworth Evening CWA group.
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event, which was slated to be held in Newcastle next month, will not go ahead.
However, the CWA has encouraged delegates from across the state to cast their votes via the mail on the more than 30 policy motions up for debate.
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One such motion was put forward by the Tamworth evening group, which group president Sue-Ellen Hogan said was possibly the first motion raised in the group's five-year history.
"It's such a shame the conference was cancelled because it is such an important event for us," Ms Hogan told the Leader.
"However, I was really glad it was decided to let people vote via snail mail, because the CWA has got a lot of influence and it's really important to keep that going.
"For us to have what I believe is our first motion on the agenda is very exciting."
Motions up for discussion include the need for country of origin labelling on seafood and pork sold in cafes and restaurants, as well as greater support for the prevention of domestic violence.
"Our motion is for the policy of the CWA to advocate for the wide-scale availability of an antenatal-postpartum care model and the continuity of care," Ms Hogan said.
"We kind of recognised within our group that there is a bit of gap in that ongoing care, especially in regional areas.
"What is special about it is that is was really driven by our members.
"We have a lot of young mums and a lot of women who are now grandmothers, so it was good to gauge how things have changed in terms of the consistency of care over the years."
CWA NSW president Stephanie Stanhope said this was the first time the week-long conference had been cancelled in the association's 98-year history.
"Our branches, through their conference delegates, retain the important role of voting on more than 30 motions this year," she said.
"And while we won't have the robust discussion and debate we have around so many of the motions that go before our annual conference, we have ensured through this year's postal voting that member voices are still heard."
The results of the voting are expected to be known by the end of the month.