Good morning everyone.
Before I begin, I'd like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today, the Whadjuk Noongar people, and pay my respects to Elders past and present. I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here with us this morning.
It's great to be here in Burswood for the Men's Health and Wellbeing Symposium Breakfast.
I'd like to thank John Rich, Chair of Men's Health and Wellbeing WA, and the Board for inviting me along today. Thanks for the work you do every day to improve the health and wellbeing of men and boys across Western Australia.
When John invited me over, I figured a free breakfast was too good an opportunity to pass up.
It's great to be here with you all during Men's Health Week and have a chat about something that affects every bloke in the country.
This year's theme, Partners in Care: For Better Lifespans Across the Lifespan, is a good reminder that none of us gets through life on our own. Whether it's our partners, our families, our mates, our communities, our GPs, our coaches or the people we work with, we all need people around us who help keep us on track.
Let's be honest. Most blokes are pretty good at looking after everyone else. We'll help a mate move house. We'll drop everything to help a mate whose car's broken down. We'll spend six hours trying to fix a barbecue, watch three YouTube videos, make two trips to Bunnings and still refuse to admit it's stuffed. But when it comes to making an appointment for ourselves, suddenly we're too busy.
I know because I've done it myself.
One of the reasons I took on this role is because too many blokes are getting crook, and too many of them don't do anything about it until it's too late.
Men continue to experience higher rates of chronic disease, preventable illness and premature death. Too many men put off seeking help when something doesn't feel right. Too many men wait until a small problem becomes a big problem.
Research shows around 60 per cent of men wait more than a week to see a doctor when they've got symptoms, and one in three wait more than a month. Imagine if your car started making a strange noise and you ignored it for a month. Most blokes wouldn't do that.
But somehow we think our bodies can wait.
The reality is that early intervention saves lives. That's why this Men's Health Week I've been encouraging blokes to put their health first.
Book the appointment. Have the chat. Get checked out.
Trust me, your GP has heard and seen it all before. Because getting checked isn't a sign something's wrong. It's one of the smartest things you can do.
Another important focus this week is improving health outcomes for First Nations men. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men continue to face poorer health outcomes and higher rates of chronic disease and suicide than non-Indigenous Australians. Supporting culturally safe, community led programs is essential if we're serious about closing those gaps and improving lives.
We're also highlighting the importance of bowel cancer screening. It's one of Australia's most common cancers, yet plenty of eligible men still don't complete the simple test that arrives in the mail.
I know it's not the most exciting piece of mail you'll ever receive.
But it's the one time where you can shit in an envelope and sent it to the government without getting in trouble, and it might just be the most important thing you get in the mail all year.
I've also encouraging better conversations about sexual health and mental health. Too many men still feel uncomfortable talking about these issues. Too many men feel they've got to carry everything themselves. We've all been taught at some point to just tough it out.
The problem is that sometimes toughing it out just makes things worse. Real strength is speaking up when you need help. Real strength is having a conversation before things get worse. And real strength is checking in on your mates when they're doing it tough.
That's why I think this year's theme is so important. Better health outcomes don't happen by accident. They happen when families, communities, health professionals, workplaces and governments work together. They happen when we look out for each other. And they happen when we make men's health something we talk about openly and honestly.
The conversations we'll have this morning about mental health, social media, the influence of the manosphere and how men are portrayed in the media are all important. Because men's health isn't just about what happens in a doctor's office. It's about connection. It's about belonging. It's about purpose. And it's about making sure boys and men have the support they need at every stage of life.
If everyone in this room gets one bloke to book a doctor's appointment, have a health check, or have a conversation they've been putting off, that'll make a real difference.
So thanks again to John Rich, the Board of Men's Health and Wellbeing WA, our panel members and all of you for being here.
Enjoy the breakfast. Enjoy the discussion.
And if you're sitting there thinking you've probably been putting off your own check-up for a while, take the hint. Make the appointment. Look after yourself. Your family, your mates and your community will be glad you did.
Thanks very much.
