It's been three years to the month since they closed the Parkes Maternity Unit and Minister for Health Brad Hazzard is still using the same answers to the question on everyone's lips - when will birthing return to Parkes?

Parkes residents have been promised a midwife-led birthing program for low risk pregnancies, with a March 2021 start date, but are yet to see it begin.

When the 2022/23 NSW Budget was handed down last week, State Member for Orange Phil Donato took particular interest in the NSW government's budget document titled Women's Opportunity Statement referencing women's health.

"Does this government really value and prioritise the advancement and health of women?" Mr Donato asked, posting on his Facebook page the following day and raising the Parkes Maternity issue again.

"One of the government's priority areas for women's reform is the support of women's health needs, which they've highlighted as being essential for the overall quality of life for women across NSW.

"If they are truly serious, the government would act by urgently reinstating Parkes Hospital's maternity ward - which would be consistent with their health objectives outlined in the Women's Opportunity Statement."

The same day Mr Donato addressed a question to Mr Hazzard during the NSW Parliament's Question Time.

He said we should now prioritise an obstetric-led full maternity service for the Parkes Hospital for "that growing community".

"As the Member for Orange would well recollect we've had numerous discussions about it that in 2019 there were challenges around getting midwives and obviously obstetricians to Parkes, and Forbes for that matter," Mr Hazzard responded, echoing those all-too-familiar words for Parkes mums.

"Like every other minister in the country, Labor and Liberal, we are challenged by the fact there are simply insufficient midwives available right across the nation.

"And I know my Labor colleagues in other states have had exactly the same concerns, we continue to do everything we can.

"I recollect that after you raised the issue one of the prior occasions I spoke to the then chief executive, he said that they had advertised many times," he told Mr Donato.

Mr Hazzard added they had continued to advertise since and were now seeking midwives from New Zealand.

"But Parkes and Forbes is I think a 23 minute drive and women in Parkes are currently going to Forbes, if they have complicated births they may go to Orange - that is continuing in the aspects primarily focused on safety for those women and their babies," he said.

"But I can assure the Orange Member that the government is very supportive of getting the midwifery-led practice back at both Parkes and Forbes, I will continue to do what I've been doing, the regional health minister will continue doing what she's been doing to encourage the continuation of that advertising."

Mr Hazzard also mentioned the various incentives to encourage people to work in regional areas in this year's budget will also factor in attracting midwives.

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But Mr Donato isn't accepting the Health Minister's repetitive responses, describing it as "continued neglect of fundamental maternity services at Parkes" and has been posting to his page the days following.

"You cannot place a dollar figure on the health and safety of country mums and our precious next generation," he said.

Mr Donato asked where the incentives were in the NSW Health's latest job advertisement to recruit a specialist/obstetrician to the Lachlan Health Service - which incorporates Parkes and Forbes hospitals.

"NSW Health has been stuck on this merry-go-round since 2019," he said.

"It appears the latest advertising for an obstetrician/GP for the Lachlan Health Service is just ticking a box to say they've tried.

"The latest ad has nothing new added to attract an obstetrician to Parkes other than to say 'we'll have your back'.

"If we, as a first world nation and society, are serious about advancing women and providing them with opportunity, then we must start by providing fundamental medical services such as obstetric-led maternity services in our country hospitals.

"Five minutes is all I have to make a Private Member's Statement speech in Parliament... The closure of Parkes Hospital's maternity ward warrants much more time to be discussed.

"I'm genuinely happy for the community of Bathurst and any other country communities to receive funding for improved healthcare infrastructure and services, but the Deputy Premier (Paul Toole) and his government continue to neglect the Parkes community through their ongoing failure to restore a basic doctor-facilitated maternity ward, while other communities get showered with funding for services so residents don't have to travel for services.

"Parkes' expectant mums often have to race across to Orange or Dubbo, and hope not to have the baby on the side of the road."

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