NATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH FORUM

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (15:30): Today I wish to speak about the National Men's Health Conference I attended a week or so ago put on by the National Men's Health Forum. Today we have been talking about the rural crisis, which is having a major impact on men's health in rural areas. The conference was held between 3 and 5 October. Presentations were given relating to research and practice, as well as a diverse range of topics including fathers and fatherhood and the role of men as fathers. The conference dealt with issues regarding mental health and men. A presentation was given by beyondblue highlighting the work it is doing in Australia, particularly with respect to the problems men are experiencing with depression, as well as issues around domestic violence in terms of taking out the politics and, perhaps, putting the psychology back into that issue so that it is appropriately addressed. The conference talked about violence against men, men's health issues in the workplace, parenting and men's health in terms of post-family separation.

There were discussions about health initiatives at the grassroots level in various communities, as well as highlighting a number of initiatives, such as local men's health groups similar to the one established in my own town of Gawler, as well as support groups for men and dealing with issues related to the health of young men. One of the presentations dealt with men as carers and the increasing number of men older than 60 who act as carers and the impact of that on their lives and how they cope as a primary carer—a role they are not often trained for. That is a serious issue, because not only are they trying to care for their partner but they are also trying to look after themselves.

There was some discussion about their physical health issues which we often hear about. A lot of discussion related to health issues in the context of male suicide. Of the six people who suicide every day in this country five are men. It is an alarming statistic. You do not read about this issue enough. If five whales were to beach themselves on our shores every day there would be a lot of media coverage. It would be frontpage news. It would be news on pages 1, 2 and 3 for days, weeks and months, yet five men suicide daily in this nation and there is barely a discussion about it. That is something about which as a nation we should be ashamed.

The conference also included the launch of the Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health. That is a partnership between Adelaide University and the Freemasons Foundation. The foundation hopes that by sharing interests, strengths and resources the partnership between the foundation and the university will deliver research that will benefit men's health. The Freemasons Foundation has committed $1.5 million over five years to establish a centre, and the foundation should be congratulated for that initiative. The centre will build a critical mass of researchers and practitioners and generate new research on men's health issues. It hopes to develop strategies to promote men's health and wellbeing; develop treatments for diseases affecting men and improve men's uptake of health services. A major issue discussed at the conference was the fact that men do not access services and often allow themselves to become ill.

I disagreed with some of the presentations in that if men do not go to doctors you blame the men, and I think a lot of our policies are based on that. We need to understand why men do not go to doctors and actually make sure they do.

Ms Bedford interjecting:

Mr PICCOLO: That as well. Access to doctors is a major issue now as they operate, etc. Other aims of the centre are to raise the public profile of men's issues and influence government policy. The foundation took on board some of the results of the Florey Adelaide Male Ageing Study, which I think was covered briefly in The Advertiser. I would like to mention very quickly a local men's shed initiative in Gawler called the Willo's Shed. I want to acknowledge the work of Aaron Phillips, a fatherhood worker; Nigel Davies, a mental health worker in Gawler; Debbie Martin, Manager, Community Services; Erik Moen, CEO, Gawler Health Services; Mark Abrook, a member of the Gawler Men's Health Group; and Carmel Rosier, CEO of the local job network provider, Employment Directions.

We have now established a men's shed in Gawler as a way of bringing men together, particularly men who are dealing with some crisis in their life and to help them deal with it in an appropriate and positive way. It is also a place where services can be delivered to men because often they are reluctant to go to institutions that are provided by government, etc. This facility, which would be run by men, will assist men. It has also been facilitated by a grant of $50,000 from the Gawler Health Service through the health department.

Time expired.