Why doesn't the Special Envoy for Men's Health have a shadow?
They say a week's a long time in politics, but it's now four months since the Government appointed Australian's first Special Envoy for Men's Health and people are beginning to notice that he has no shadow!
Standing at a towering 6 feet and 8 inches (203cm), you'd expect Dan Repacholi MP to cast a significant shadow across parliament, but this isn't the case. Like the mythical vampire, the member for Hunter is a man without a shadow.
While it's common practice in politics for the Opposition to assemble a front bench that "shadows" the ministers and assistant ministers appointed by Government, there doesn't appear to be a protocol for "shadowing" special ministers. Indeed, at the time of writing, a quick google search suggests there are currently no Shadow Special Envoys and this article is the first time the words "Shadow Special Envoy for Men's Health" have been published online.
While it's common practice in politics for the Opposition to assemble a front bench that "shadows" the ministers and assistant ministers appointed by Government, there doesn't appear to be a protocol for "shadowing" special ministers. Indeed, at the time of writing, a quick google search suggests there are currently no Shadow Special Envoys and this article is the first time the words "Shadow Special Envoy for Men's Health" have been published online.
During recent trips to Canberra, the Australian Men's Health Forum and some of our members have begun to ask Opposition MPs and Senators if they will be appointing someone to shadow Dan Repacholi. The general answer seems to be that no-one has really thought about this yet, but that some politicians think it would be a good idea.
This isn't a partisan issue, in an ideal world, we'd love to see the role of Special Envoy upgraded to the status of Cabinet Minister, alongside the Minister for Women. If this happened, we see both the Government and the Opposition placing more focus on the health and social issues that impact men and boys.
Not only would this show bi-partisan support for men's health, it could lead to some healthy debate between the parties on who has the best policies and approaches to improving the lives and health of men and boys.
In the meantime, the Australian Men's Health Forum will be reaching out to the Leader of the Opposition, Sussan Ley (above), to ask if she will be appointing a Shadow Special Envoy for Men's Health. If this is something you support, we recommend that you reach out to any contacts you have in the Coalition and ask the same question.
You can use the template letter below to help you start drafting your letter or email and add your own reasons for supporting the idea.
DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE
If you do write to an MP or Senator and get a reply, we'd love to hear from you at [email protected].
If you do write to an MP or Senator and get a reply, we'd love to hear from you at [email protected].