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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 01 Hansard (Thursday, 12 February 2004) . . Page.. 268 ..

At the outset, I acknowledge and thank many community groups that I have been in contact with, such as the national and ACT offices of the Fatherhood Foundation, the Lone Fathers Association, Parents Without Partners, Menslink, the Indigenous Youth Mentoring scheme, Men’s Health and Wellbeing, Belconnen Community Church men’s group and Australian Christian Lobby national office, Canberra. I want to thank these groups in particular for their substantial contribution and tireless efforts in promoting the cause of fathers and their children in our territory.

MR SPEAKER: Order, members! There are too many conversations going on. Mrs Burke has the floor.

MRS BURKE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have known for some time of the desperate need for a greater understanding of fathers in our community, as these various groups have raised some very valid concerns relating to the lack of recognition for fathers in this nation and, in particular, this territory. Many in this Assembly will note that this view is very much supported now by the new federal opposition, Labor leader, Mark Latham.

The discussions I have had with major stakeholders in this vital area for over two years only serve to confirm what I have already heard from many individuals. Fathers feel undervalued in our community and their status is a lot lower than it should and ought to be. Recently, I organised a public forum that was attended by over 100 men and women who came to hear some well-credentialed experts, such as Warwick Marsh from the Fatherhood Foundation, Barry Williams from Lone Fathers, Jim Rice from Menslink, Phillip Graham from Indigenous Youth Mentoring, Don Bowack from Men’s Health and Wellbeing, Richard Murray from the Belconnen Community Church men’s group and Jim Wallace and Denis and Estelle O’Brien from the Fatherhood Foundation’s ACT office.

The evidence is insurmountable and indisputable. It all points to the fact that fathers are very important in the life and development of a child, and to the health of the family unit as a whole. They play a crucial part in giving children a sense of identity and belonging. There is no doubt that fathers act as role models for their children. In a speech written in August 2003 by the Honourable Mark Latham, who was then the federal Labor shadow Treasurer, he states:

I must say, as a father one of the great joys of my life was to become a dad. When I see my two and a half year old son, Oliver, follow me around the garden, if I weed he wants to weed, if I get in the car, he wants to get in the car—you just understand instinctively that the father has such a big impact on the son.

No doubt those of you who are fathers can relate to the comments of the Honourable Mr Latham. I think his position would resonate with all of us, but more so with all the male members of this Assembly here, who are all fathers.

We as a community cannot say that one role is more important than the other: both are equally important. Women play an enormous part in verbally stimulating their children, in teaching them intimacy and in caring and nurturing. Men equally play an important role, in giving confidence and meaning to a child, in helping them to come to terms with their identity and in encouraging them to take risks.

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