1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: International Men's Day. It's a global awareness day for many 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: issues that men face, including parental alienation, abuse, homelessness, suicide, 3 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 1: and violence. Its celebrated annually on November nineteenth, but as 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: you heard in the news with Kendall One Nation, Sarah 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: Gain believes that it is not getting the focus and 6 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: attention that it deserves. She joins me in out, Sarah, 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: good morning to you. 8 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 2: Good morning, Graham. 9 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 1: What do you think is the main issue with the 10 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: International Men's Day. 11 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: Well, look, Graham, I can tell you that last year 12 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: with International Men's Day, there would have been absolutely no 13 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 2: celebration on that day at all had I not organized 14 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 2: my own events. And I think that's really saying something 15 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 2: in terms of the level of celebration in this state. 16 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 2: And I just noticed over the last couple of years, 17 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 2: you know, entering politics and suddenly having the privilege of 18 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 2: being able to be invited to events because my previous 19 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 2: career as a veterinarian, we didn't go to any events. 20 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: I just realized, well, on the eighth of March International 21 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 2: Women's Day, there were so many events Governor's House, I'd 22 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 2: laid over. I couldn't even attend them all. And then 23 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 2: International Men's Day would roll around virtually unnoticed, with no 24 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 2: celebration at all, and so last year I organized my 25 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 2: own event, was a non political event really in the 26 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 2: celebration of men in that day, and I'm doing the 27 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:22,199 Speaker 2: same again this year. 28 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: So why is there not the attention on men as 29 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: there is on women? 30 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 2: Look, Graham, I think it's been really interesting for me 31 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 2: as well organizing this event to see the feedback. I 32 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 2: think largely the feedback's been really positive from men and women, 33 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 2: and that's why we sold out last year of one 34 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty people just in a couple of months, 35 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 2: and I did that virtually single handedly, so I'm sure 36 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 2: we could have got a lot more. This year, we're 37 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: hoping to get a bigger turn out. But some of 38 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 2: the feedback in the community seems to be that we're 39 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: at a place where we're able to talk about men 40 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 2: and their mental health, and we're able to talk about 41 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 2: men stuffering. I mean that's really important. It's made huge 42 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 2: progress in that way. But in terms of being able 43 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: to celebrate men and be really positive about the achievements 44 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 2: of men and the role of men in society, I 45 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 2: think there seems to be some conflict with that, and 46 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 2: I think that's really disappointing, and I'm hoping to change 47 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 2: the narrative around that. I think the feedback at the moment, 48 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 2: or the narrative in the media particularly is, you know, 49 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,959 Speaker 2: men need to do better and be better, and we're 50 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 2: not really in a way allowed to celebrate men in 51 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 2: the same ways we're allowed to celebrate women do. 52 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: To get back to the old issue that you know, 53 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: women have been repressed and suppressed for so long. Now 54 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: they've been given the treatment that they deserve, and men 55 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: really don't need it because they've had a position of 56 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: superiority for centuries. 57 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 2: Well, I think exactly, there's this myth. I'd call it 58 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 2: a myth that men have it basically so good that 59 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: we don't need to be celebrating them at all, and 60 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 2: women have it so hard, and so men have it 61 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 2: so good so they don't need a celebration. But I 62 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: like facts, and I think, well, that's pretty easy to 63 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 2: debust that myth when we think that seven out of 64 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 2: nine suicides are men. Men die a number of years 65 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 2: earlier than women, Men have less years of healthy life 66 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 2: than women, Men die far more often in workplace accidents 67 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 2: on roads, suffer more likely from drug addiction. And so 68 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 2: I think we really need to debust that myth that 69 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 2: men somehow have it just so good that we don't 70 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 2: need to be celebrating them in our society. 71 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it gets back to the fact that, 72 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: you know, men bulletproof. You know, I never get sick. 73 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: You know, I don't need to discuss my problems. You know, 74 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: men don't get together and talk about health issues and 75 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: psychological issues and so forth. We've had this barrier or 76 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: this role for years that men just don't show any 77 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: sign kind of what they perceive to be emotional weakness. 78 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: So you know, let's just tough it out. We don't 79 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: need to share our thoughts and needs and wishes exactly. 80 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 2: And I think that's why it's really important that we 81 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 2: have had this progress in discussion about men and their feelings. 82 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 2: And we have seen a couple of events, and I've 83 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 2: been to them myself pop up in the year to 84 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 2: encourage men to talk about their feelings. So I think 85 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 2: what goes hand in hand with that is being able 86 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 2: to celebrate men. So, you know, we can't have a 87 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 2: situation where we're encouraging men to talk about their feelings, 88 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 2: to talk about depression and say, well that's okay, But 89 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,720 Speaker 2: when we come to talking about celebrating men and being 90 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 2: positive about men, well that's not okay. I mean they 91 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 2: have to go hand in hand. And so this particular event, 92 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 2: I want it to be a really celebratory nature, so 93 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: it's not a focus on men's mental health, although any 94 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 2: money that's raised will go to the Breakthrough Foundation to 95 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 2: the research for men and their mental health. The actual night, 96 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 2: because we Tuesday night, the November nineteenth, that night is 97 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 2: a celebration of men and their achievements, and we've got 98 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 2: a number of people who are already lined up on 99 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 2: the panel who are amazing male role models. 100 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: Do you think there's perhaps a level of guilt in 101 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: men that you know, they know that women have been repressed, 102 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 1: and you know that's been the glass ceiling, and women 103 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: don't get the big jobs, or don't get paid as much, 104 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: or don't haven't been treated equally. While that has changed dramatically, 105 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: there is still a sort of an ongoing guilt that 106 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: as men, maybe we shouldn't celebrate, maybe we've had it 107 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: too good for too long. 108 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 2: I absolutely think there's a lot of guilt that goes 109 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 2: around and I just want to stay Graham. That that 110 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 2: really concerned me. I mean, as a mum of three 111 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 2: beautiful children. I've got two daughters and I've got a son, 112 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 2: and my son is nine, so nine eight and six now, 113 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 2: and I do not want my son growing up and 114 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 2: not being proud of who he is, because he's a 115 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,119 Speaker 2: boy that grows into a beautiful man. I don't want 116 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 2: him living with that guilt. I mean, I want my status, 117 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 2: I'm sure many other mothers do, to grow up feeling 118 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 2: happy and confident and resilient. And I actually really worry, 119 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 2: particularly about young boys, when you look at male suicide, 120 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 2: that message that we're sending out into the community that 121 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 2: men really need to feel guilty. Most men are not 122 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:28,359 Speaker 2: domestic violence abusers. Most men are not committing homicides. But 123 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 2: if we look at what's being reported in the media 124 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 2: and the news, that seems to be the only story 125 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 2: worth reporting. And it's about time that we changed that narrative. 126 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 2: I've been to some of these events, you know, raising 127 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 2: awareness for women and women's issues, and I fully support those, 128 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: but you look around the room and I think there 129 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 2: is that feeling amongst the men that they're responsible for that. 130 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:53,239 Speaker 2: And I think, you know, men, most of the vast 131 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 2: majority of men are out there in society contributing their 132 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 2: bread winners for their families, their good fathers, they're protectors, 133 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 2: they're great friends to their mates, they're loving sons. And 134 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 2: we should not be accepting a situation where men need 135 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 2: to feel so guilty that we can't even celebrate them 136 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 2: positively on International Men's Day. 137 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: You're suggesting, and I kindly agree with you, that International 138 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: Men's Day in Australia isn't getting the recognition that deserves. 139 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 1: Is that reflected in other countries? 140 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 2: Look, Graham, I don't I don't know. I don't think 141 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 2: so in that this is obviously it's a global day, 142 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 2: and I've certainly seen celebrations elsewhere. But I do think 143 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 2: possibly it is becoming a global problem. But I think 144 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 2: we need to accept that. If we're going to say 145 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 2: to men it's okay to feel down, it's okay to 146 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 2: feel sad, it's okay to tell people that you're not okay, 147 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 2: we need to also be allowing men to feel good 148 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: about themselves. 149 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, that sounds like good advice. Tell us more about 150 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: how you want to celebrate International Men's Day on their 151 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: way the nineteen. 152 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 2: Well, so it's going to be on November nineteenth, which 153 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 2: is a Tuesday evening. We're still finalizing the venue, but 154 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 2: we're hoping to have at least, you know, two hundreds, 155 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 2: maybe even three hundred people there. I've already got a 156 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 2: number of great panelists. We're still waiting on conferring others, 157 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: but I can say that we have got Derek McManus, 158 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 2: who's a police hero. He was shot for in dumb 159 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 2: five seconds in the line of duty. He's gone on 160 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 2: to become a great mentor to others. We've got Jim Walley, 161 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: who was a former Air Force fider pilot needs to 162 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 2: be Chief entrepreneur of the state. And we've also got 163 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 2: Qus Burns, who is the CEO of the hut Street Center, 164 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 2: former mental health commissioner and veterans are really inspirational speakers, 165 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: with more to be announced, and we're hoping to raise 166 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 2: money for the Breakthrough Mental Health Foundation. I mean, our 167 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,680 Speaker 2: office has already encouraged the government to contribute one hundred 168 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 2: thousand dollars actually to Breakthrough for a fellowship into mail suicide. 169 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 2: Any money raised will go to Breakthrough, and we're just 170 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: hoping to make it a really positive celebration of men 171 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 2: in our society and get away from this narrative that 172 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 2: it only do better, be better. 173 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: Sarah, more power to you. Great to have a chat 174 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: with you today. Thanks so much, Sarah. Game one Nation MLC. 175 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: What are your thoughts folks about International Men's Day? Is 176 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: it getting the recognition as it deserves? Should it be 177 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: given the same sort of prominence as International Women's Day. 178 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: Men should be feel proud of their contribution to society. 179 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: I know there's a lot of the headlines don't reflect 180 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 1: that because it's all about domestic violence and horrible incidents 181 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: that generally relate to men more than women. But there 182 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: are so many good men out there in the community, 183 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: so many men that need to be recognized to be 184 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: proud of their role in society. But it's interesting in 185 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: New South Wales Paramatta Council wandered to celebrate Men's Day 186 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: in the same milk as International Women's Day, but it 187 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: didn't win support from the colleagues on the council. Another 188 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: time that council are trying to move into areas that 189 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: probably don't really concern them.