Former tradie to lead SA inquiry tackling men’s suicide
A new parliamentary inquiry into men’s health is winning backing from an opposition pollie and an SA podcaster who have been personally impacted by suicide.
A new parliamentary inquiry will tackle higher rates of suicide and preventable illness and death in men, as data shows suicide is the leading cause of death for South Australians aged 15 to 44 – with men three times more likely to die by suicide than women.
Health and Wellbeing Minister Blair Boyer today announced the establishment of a Joint House Committee into men’s health and wellbeing with a remit to improve access to services and support for men.
It will be chaired by Labor MLC Hilton Gumbys, who has nearly 40 years’ experience as a tradesman in a male-dominated industry.
Gumbys said working in the industry showed him the importance of men taking care of their health.
“We need to raise men who are resilient and confident enough to be comfortable in themselves, without seeking out influencers who promote toxic masculinity,” Gumbys, who worked as a machinist and fitter at Edinburgh, said.
“I have grown up around these values, and I have raised my son to understand the importance of good male role models and being around men who lead by example, show strong character, and respect women.”
It comes as Boyer said that a Minister of Men was something the government was still looking into, saying “so much of the data (around mental health) we collect shows the over-representation of men and young men”.
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The Joint Committee will examine the role of community, sporting and social groups in supporting the health and wellbeing of men, including the role of men’s sheds, as well as the effectiveness of government policies and initiatives.
It will also look at the role of digital platforms and algorithms targeting men, as well as barriers or hesitancy for men to access appropriate services.
Among the other members of the committee are Port Adelaide MP Cheyne Rich, Elizabeth MP Ella Shaw, Liberal MP Jack Batty, Family First MLC Sarah Game and Greens MLC Robert Simms.
Game, whose father died by suicide in 2023, has been advocating for men’s health and wellbeing over the past four years and said the inquiry was a “massive step forward”.
However, she hoped it would be expanded to look into problems faced by boys, saying “a lot of problems are beginning at school”.
Game started International Men’s Day events in 2023 as a “platform for change and to celebrate the positive role men play in our society”, adding that her advocacy was influenced by her father’s death and her role as a mother to her son.
“For too long, the conversation around men’s health has often focused on what is wrong with men. We also need to talk about what helps men flourish – purpose, responsibility, strong relationships, family and community,” Game said.
“This inquiry should look at how we can better equip and support families, rather than treating men’s health as something that exists in isolation”.
Young Blood – Men’s Mental Health podcast host Callum MacPherson welcomed the inquiry, telling InDaily that there is often a stigma that men were not capable of talking about their feelings, but that it is about having the right environment.
“Tailoring mental health care to better meet the needs of men, and communicating with men in ways that work for them, is key,” he said
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MacPherson created the podcast after his friend James tragically died by suicide in 2019
“After losing my friend James (“Jamo”) to suicide in 2019, when he was 29, and I was 25, I found myself searching for the voices of other young men talking openly about mental health, suicide and grief that I could relate to,” he said.
“I was desperate for stories that might offer some explanation, direction or hope when my world was upside down.”
MacPherson hoped lived experience would play a key role in the new inquiry, saying government policy plays a key role in men’s mental health.
“Many of the pressures affecting men’s lives are shaped by policy, and governments have the capacity to influence everything from access to healthcare and education to housing, employment and social support,” he said.
“Public debate about men is often driven by assumptions about what men think, feel or need. My hope is that inquiries like this create more opportunities to listen directly to men from a wide range of backgrounds and learn from their experiences.”
Boyer said the government wanted to put men’s health under the microscope, saying data showed men were over-represented in mental health and suicide.
“We want to do more to remove any barriers in accessing supports and services that can help,” he said.
“As someone who grew up on a family farm in the country, I’m particularly keen to ensure the accessibility of mental health services for those living in the regions.”
Dr Deborah Turnbull, who is co-deputy director of the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing, previously told InDaily that having a gendered approach to treating men’s mental health was important because of how men present themselves differently.
“When we look at the figures for alcohol and drug misuse, as well as suicide, the figures tend to be higher for men, and it’s partly because of their experience of mental health and the way they express distress can be different,” she said.
Lifeline: 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
Headspace: 1800 650 890, headspace.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 635, beyondblue.org.au
SANE Support line and Forums: 1800 187 263, saneforums.org
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