What does Matt Cross plan to do as Minister for Men's Health?

Davidson MP Matt Cross says he plans to speak to experts before developing any clear policy goals after being announced as the NSW Liberal Party’s shadow minister for Men’s Health on Tuesday.

Recap: The newly created shadow cabinet portfolio of Men’s Health was announced by NSW Liberal leader Kelly Sloane earlier this week. While the state already has a framework for addressing men’s health, established under the Berejiklian government in 2018, Cross claimed it had been “gathering dust for years” in an interview with the Lorikeet.

Expert opinion: Dr James Smith is a leading academic with experience in men’s health policy. He agreed with Cross’s assessment, saying that while plans had been established to address men’s health by both state and federal governments, the funding and resources are questionable.

• “[The strategies] outline really important investments and actions that are required, all of which I would agree with,” said Smith. “But they haven't necessarily been matched with resourcing to address those issues at scale.”

Keeping things clear: A difficult aspect of men’s health can be framing the issue in a way that is inclusive, not divisive. One expert told the Lorikeet talking about issues specifically affecting men has the potential to attract groups linked to misogynistic ideologies.

When asked about this possibility, Cross said he planned to work closely with the shadow health minister, Sarah Mitchell, as well as other men’s health organisations.

• “In the coming months, I look forward to talking to organizations such as Movember, such as Lifeline, such as Headspace,” said Cross, “that certainly would lead me into what work is required building on the 2018 men's framework.”

The big issue: For many of the experts — who had worked across policy, research, and frontline services — early prevention of mental health issues was key. 

Ben Vasiliou is the CEO of Man Cave, an Australian mental health charity for boys and young men. Man Cave runs workshops through schools aiming to equip young men with emotional maturity and provide them positive role models.

• “We meet the boys where they're at”, Vasiliou told the Lorikeet. “Talking about shit, talking about their lives, talking about their mental health, talking about relationships”. 

“We're trying to get in early and build a generation of boys who are open to talking about themselves, their health and their relationships”.

A spokesperson for Man Cave told the Lorikeet that the work done by Man Cave could be replicated at a state or even national level.

Dr James Smith agreed that early intervention was essential to providing better outcomes, and spoke of the need for programs that actively seek out men when conversations about health may not be occurring naturally.

“What work can we do in workplace settings? What work can we do in sports clubs? What work can we do in schools?” 

Thumbnail: Luke Jones via Unsplash