Page 3718 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 23 November 2022

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first instance when this came up. Other GPs I have spoken to have also said that it is a shame we do not have a men’s health plan—they are shocked we do not have one, actually. Women I have spoken to are quite disappointed and ACT Lone Fathers Association. We all hear from these people regularly. It is an actual thing, as you mentioned, Mr Deputy Speaker—about men couch surfing. Martin Fisk from Menslink emailed me today and thanked me for this motion.

The health minister talked about the evidence-based approach. I am not quite sure, but I wish I had counted how many times she talked about the evidence-based approach! The figures from the evidence-based approach show that it is not good. I mentioned the stats earlier. Things are not good for our men’s health, so I would challenge the health minister to rethink that approach.

I would like to finish by quoting the health minister from her own adjournment speech. On 21 September 2017, she said:

Madam Speaker, our efforts to support society’s most vulnerable must not be presented as a competition between one group or another. We must of course identify when a particular group faces a particular problem and focus our resources accordingly, but we cannot and should not attempt to turn against each other to compete for empathy or attention.

In 2017 the minister supported everything I have called for today, everything I have stated, and so she must not turn against the men in our city. This is not about political point-scoring, but it seems it has been today. She has made her point at the expense of men. It is a disgrace that the Labor-Greens government are voting against men today. That is what is happening!

We will not be supporting the amendment, and I will be telling everybody that this government has no care for the health care of men. There is no plan for a strategy, and I am disappointed. That is all I have to say.

Question put:

That the amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.

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