http://www.sydneymidwife.com.au/2009/11/the-future-of-private-midwifery/

There has been stong interest on the issue of the future of private midwifery since the Health Minsiter’s announcement that clarified the meaning of “collaborative practice”. Collaborative practice will mean that every private midwife must have a collaborative agreement with a private obstetrician who can effectively sign off on the midwife’s work. If s/he does not agree with the plan of care for the woman, the obstetrician may sever the collaborative arrangement. Furthermore, with RANZCOG and the AMA being opposed to home birth, home birth will not be an option in the private system, as it is currently. The exemption that was granted to home birth will have no meaning since collaborative arrangements will be a requirement for registration for private midwifery practice.