Huge Men’s Health Package flagged at National Gathering
The 30th anniversary National Men’s Health Gathering in Brisbane has arrived at a pivotal time for men’s wellbeing in Australia — and according to Dan Repacholi, the nation’s first-ever Special Envoy for Men’s Health, it’s just the beginning of a broader, coordinated effort to turn awareness into action.
Currently travelling across the country to hear directly from communities, Repacholi described the Gathering as an opportunity to “share what’s working and what’s not working in men’s health.”
“The program here covers everything — from men’s circles and Sheds to research on mental and physical health, and the vital work being done with First Nations men in regional, rural and remote areas,” he said. “There are great sessions on Men’s Sheds, Men’s Outreach and how we can reclaim how we engage men in health and wellbeing.”
Repacholi, a former Olympian and now Member for Hunter, said his mission as Special Envoy is simple but far-reaching: to raise the spotlight on the unique challenges men and boys in Australia face.
“Issues like higher rates of suicide, preventable chronic diseases, underuse of health services and the often-silent burden of mental ill-health. I’ve seen it in my own life. Like many blokes I’ve pushed things off, I thought I could tough it out, I avoided the doctor, I didn’t ask for help, I put my health last. That’s a story shared around Australia, one of our big tasks is to change that story.”
Repacholi said changing attitudes begins with conversations. “We need to make the conversation about men’s health normal. Checking in with your mates should be as natural as picking up the phone to say, ‘how are things going?’
“It’s not just about research in journals, it’s about men’s groups where guys can build connection, it’s about circles where men share strength through vulnerability, it’s about sports settings, workplaces, pubs and rural communities where men meet, and where they already are.”
Dan Repacholi sends a message to the National Men's Health Gathering.
A National Listening Tour
While Repacholi was unable to attend in person, his Chief of Staff, Chad Griffith, offered a behind-the-scenes look at how the new Office of the Special Envoy is laying the groundwork for a huge men’s health package — a first for any Australian government.
“A Special Envoy is a bit like an Assistant Minister,” Griffith explained. “We just don’t have the fancy ‘Honourable’ title.
Griffith said since the appointment earlier this year, the team has been “on the road non-stop.”
“It’s been myself, Dan and a trusty Landcruiser,” he said. “We’ve spent only about a week at home in the past four months. After our appointment, we had around 400–500 emails from stakeholders wanting to connect. So, we broke it down by states and regions, then started planning where we’d go and what we’d do.”
From Men’s Sheds in small towns to prostate cancer awareness BBQs and men’s forums in cities, Griffith said the tour has been about “learning and listening … what are the issues on the ground?”
“One of the big things we’ve heard again and again is about funding — how hard it is for good programs to keep going,” he said. “There are incredible organisations out there doing life-changing work with almost no resources. We have to be in a space where good programs are funded.”
Griffith said the team’s initial phase is focused on listening to stakeholders before advising the Health Minister on what needs to be supported.
“There’s lots of amazing programs we’ve seen that we want to take back to the health minister and put on his desk as part of a huge men’s health package," he said.