Organ donation opt-outs, and placing medicinal cannabis on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme are among motions to be debated at next week's CWA state conference in Bega.
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Around 400 visitors from across NSW are expected to descend on the Bega Valley when the Country Women's Association's annual conference opens on Sunday, May 2.
After the forced postponement of last year's conference, anticipation is high for this year's event, to be held at the Bega Showground from May 2-6, but with reduced numbers that recognise the ongoing COVID-19 challenges.
Those who won't be able to attend though will, for the first time, have the chance to view the conference via a livestream link.
On the agenda are 26 motions being put forward by various branches of the large organisation.
The Pambula-Merimbula branch will ask the conference to endorse advocating for a review of organ and tissue donation policies, with consideration of an opt-out policy in preference to an opt-in policy.
Meanwhile, the Cobargo CWA branch wants the placement of prescribed cannabis medication on the PBS.
Also on the agenda for the annual conference are motions on voluntary assisted dying, climate change and large-scale solar plants.
"The range of motions, across so many different areas, reflects the diversity of our membership and the issues of concern to their communities," said Stephanie Stanhope, CWA of NSW president.
"The CWA of NSW takes its advocacy role very seriously and once motions are formally endorsed by the membership, they will become part of our lobbying platform for the next 12 months.
"There are some interesting motions this year that will no doubt inspire some robust debate, but that is one of the strengths of our association - all points of view are welcome and can be discussed openly and honestly.
"There are a number of motions around climate change, which the CWA of NSW already has policy on, with the motions this year seeking to broaden the scope of our advocacy efforts, while the call for support for Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation in NSW and the ACT is likely to encourage some impassioned discussion. It will certainly be interesting to see how the vote goes on a number of this year's submissions."
The conference will be officially opened on May 3 - via a recorded message - by the patron of the CWA of NSW and Governor of NSW Margaret Beazley AO QC.
This year's keynote address will be presented by prominent author and speaker Lucy Bloom, former CEO of children's charity Sunrise Cambodia and the former CEO of Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia.
The program begins with a church service on Sunday afternoon (May 2), with the official opening from 9.30am on the Monday at the Bega Showground. The remainder of the program comprises business sessions, workshops, meetings and award ceremonies.
The CWA is the largest women's organisation in Australia, with more than 400 branches and almost 8000 members, and next year celebrates the centenary of its formation in 1922, with the aim of improving the living conditions and welfare of women and families in rural and regional NSW.
