Murrumbidgee Men's Group founder sets up petition for men’s wellness centre
Rhys Cummins, founder of the Murrumbidgee Men's Group, is petitioning for a men’s wellness centre to be established in Wagga Wagga in the Riverina.
Wagga Wagga is a major regional city located between Melbourne and Sydney along the Murrumbidgee River with a population close to 60,000 people.
Mr Cummins is calling on local, state and federal governments to contribute to a men’s wellness centre that would provide holistic support to men in the area.
“Men in our region, like others around the country, encounter many health challenges including mental health, physical health, family and relationship issues, legal issues and many more,” states Rhys in a petition set up on change.org in January.
“This centre can help to bridge the gap by providing holistic support encompassing physical, mental, and emotional health. A Wellness Centre in Wagga will be a safe space for men to initiate health-related conversations and provide crucial resources to the men of our region. We urge health authorities and government to take action on this important matter to support the men of our region.”
Wagga Wagga Councillor Richard Foley, a well-known local tradesman, is in full support of the idea and encouraged Mr Cummins to set up the petition. Cr Foley has also declared his candidacy for this year’s Federal election representing the Australian Citizen’s Party (ACP).
“Obviously, I am all for it and support him in pushing that forward,” Cr Foley told Region Riverina.
“I’ve already drafted a private member’s bill in relation to it for the upcoming federal election and have asked private candidates to support it, so that way whoever wins can bring it forward into parliament.
“Women, quite rightly, have a lot of great services here in town and although that could do with some improvements as well, men have no real services tailor-made to men’s needs.
“There’s a lot of issues for men that are greatly different to women’s issues, so it makes sense that men would need places specifically for their issues that they can deal with, with the other men.”
The petition currently has 730 signatures.