Bronnie Taylor appointed to Motherland Board

High-profile former politician, oncology nurse and mother-of-two Bronnie Taylor has been appointed to the board of national charity Motherland, which is on a mission to reduce isolation and improve mental health outcomes for rural mothers across the country.

Her appointment as a non-executive Director comes amid a first-of-its-kind national survey into rural motherhood. Motherland is calling for submissions from rural women to help address gaps, identify pain points and enable impactful solutions, which the charity will take to decision makers across all levels of government.

Bronnie, who last year retired from a decade-long career in politics, had previously worked as a rural nurse for 20 years, and did so while raising two daughters alongside her husband on their family farm in the Snowy Mountains of NSW. As a passionate rural health advocate, she’s the latest voice to throw her support behind the national survey to help Motherland change the lives of more rural mums.

During her political career, Bronnie held the positions of Minister for Women, Minister for Regional Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Regional Youth and Women, as well as serving as the Deputy Leader of the NSW National Party.

Prior to that, she was a registered nurse, working most notably in the fields of palliative care and oncology and became one of the first McGrath Foundation Breast Care nurses and then Director of Cancer Services in the Southern NSW LHD.

Bronnie says she is thrilled to join the board of Motherland, an organisation which helps eliminate the crippling isolation many rural mums face by connecting them to a supportive online community and offering a range of services including an innovative online rural mothers group program that rural women can access, regardless of their location.

“I moved to the country for love at the age of 26, and having raised our two daughters on our farm, I understand the challenges many rural mums face when it comes to finding their community because you live so far away from a physical support network,” Bronnie said.

“Country mums are known for their get-on-with-it attitude, but it can be tough, and I’m so thrilled to be working with Motherland because it creates community and connection no matter where you live.

“Having worked across the rural health sector, both in a clinical and political capacity, I’ve seen firsthand how hard it can be to access critical support when you live in isolated communities. We don’t have the same access to support as those in the city – and that’s why Motherland is having a real impact to help address this gap.”

Bronnie is now calling for rural mothers to have their say and help provide a snapshot of what support they need by participating in a large-scale national survey that will provide holistic insight and data.

“Mums are the lifeblood and backbone of our rural communities, wearing many hats and juggling many balls. That’s why it’s so important they receive the support they need – because access to support shouldn’t be defined by where you call home,” she said.

“To make change on a national scale, we need more women to have their say. It will give us a better idea of the current state of play and what’s needed to bridge the city-country divide when it comes to accessing critical services for rural mums.”

Motherland Founder and CEO Stephanie Trethewey said the charity had a proven track record of helping counter the physical and emotional isolation of mothers living in rural areas across the country – but more needs to be done.

“Over 90 per cent of farms in Australia are family owned or operated, but unfortunately, despite being the glue holding rural households together, rural mothers are underrepresented when it comes to having their say on a national scale, which is why this survey is so important,” Steph said.

“Motherland’s National Survey on Rural Motherhood will address the gap in reporting of rural mothers to identify their key concerns, uncover mental health trends, unlock insights into their emotional wellbeing, and assist Motherland in advocating and providing improved and additional support services for rural mothers and their families.

“This understanding will assist our charity to develop programs and services that will further reduce isolation and improve mental health outcomes. It will also help policymakers, service providers, and communities better understand the problems women on the land face to provide impactful solutions.”

Motherland’s National Survey on Rural Motherhood is now open to all rural mums nationally – with the charity planning to take the findings all the way to Parliament House in Canberra.

Participate in the online survey here: Your Say