MOUNT Isa’s CWA board members are too old – allegedly that is a reason why the local branch has been told to close down immediately.
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The Queensland Country Women’s Association’s decision to close the branch has left State Minister for Seniors Coralee O’Rourke confused, and local members outraged.
“There has to be another reason behind this,” Mrs O’Rourke said, after being told of the closure by Mount Isa branch secretary Anne Morris.
“That’s discrimination, that’s blatant discrimination.
“I feel like I’m missing something because I don’t see how anyone can say a member of the board should be age related.”
A letter from QCWA state president Robyn McFarlane listed reasons for the immediate closure “until the good name of the CWA is restored in Mount Isa”.
The CWA hall in Isa Street was also lined with asbestos.
Mount Isa branch president Ailsa Fawkes said an unofficial meeting was held with Cloncurry based QCWA members at the Coffee Club on June 11, where she was told “the QCWA has now become a business and can no longer afford branches” like Mount Isa where membership declined.
Ms Fawkes acknowledged there was asbestos in the hall, but said that a survey had been completed that made the hall safe as long as it was properly maintained.
In a meeting held in April Ms Fawkes was told that Mount Isa members were too old and should resign immediately.
“I am aware that age discrimination is alive and well in the workforce at present, but had no idea that it existed in the QCWA,” she said.
“My opinion is that for members who have spent almost a lifetime in service and loyalty to the organisation this is indeed a poor reward for their efforts.”
Mount Isa Mayor Tony McGrady questioned the “propaganda” of the QCWA, which conflicted with the decision made to close the Mount Isa branch.
“It says it is country women for country women by country women but it’s a group of women in Brisbane deciding what is happening 2000 kilometres away,” he said.
Cr McGrady was interested in the QCWA’s quote “until the good name of the CWA is restored in Mount Isa”, and he also questioned the association’s motives.
“This building is on prime real estate,” he said.
“A lot of questions need answered here.
“I have never come across anybody who tried to provoke unrest.”
QCWA president Robyn McFarlane was in Roma during a drought assistance tour when contacted, and she referred the issue to Cloncurry CWA and North West division president Frances Gray.
Ms Gray said she had only been president for several months, but she knew the Mount Isa branch “has a history of protocol breaches”.
“The branch is not in the hands of the state executive and they made the decision to close the branch,” she said.