Good morning, delegates.
I rise today to move this amendment on men's health.
Since being appointed Australia's first-ever Special Envoy for Men's Health, I've spent a lot of time travelling around the country and sitting down with blokes in men's sheds, sporting clubs, workplaces, pubs and clubs, community groups and health services.
I've heard the same thing over and over again. Too many men know something is wrong, but they're leaving it too late. They ignore the pain. They brush off the warning signs. They tell themselves they're too busy, they'll deal with it later, or they don't want to make a fuss. But sometimes later becomes too late.
I know how easy that can be. I got up to 152 kilos and kept telling myself I was fine. I wasn't. I had to make a change for myself and for my family.
This isn't because men don't care about their health. Most blokes care deeply about being there for their partners, their kids, their mates and their workmates. But too often, the system doesn't reach them early enough, speak to them clearly enough or make it easy enough for them to ask for help.
We know men are overrepresented in suicide, workplace deaths, serious injuries, harmful alcohol and drug use, and preventable chronic disease. We know men are more likely to delay care and less likely to ask for help before they reach crisis point.
That has to change.
This amendment makes clear that Labor recognises men's health as a serious national issue and is committed to practical action.
That means prevention. It means early intervention. It means better health literacy, so boys and men understand the risks, recognise the warning signs and know what to do next.
It means affordable care delivered in ways that actually work for the communities we are trying to reach. It also means paying particular attention to men facing the biggest barriers, including men in rural and remote communities, First Nations men, men from culturally diverse communities, veterans, men with disability and men doing it tough.
This work isn't about taking anything away from anyone else. Better men's health means stronger families, stronger workplaces and stronger, more connected communities.
It means more dads seeing their kids grow up, more mates getting home safely from work, and more men getting the help they need before they reach breaking point.
Labor has always been at its best when we back prevention, fairness and access to care. That is exactly what this amendment is about.
It's about making sure men and boys have the knowledge, confidence and practical tools to look after their health. It's also about making sure our health system meets them where they are, before it's too late.
Delegates, I commend this amendment to the floor.