All five Men’s Sheds across Hasluck will benefit from the Morrison Government’s National Men’s Health Strategy 2020-2030 with more than $19 million to improve the health and wellbeing of Australian men and boys.
The Strategy supports continued and expanded funding to support the Men’s Shed movement, including:
- An increase to $1 million per annum for grants to enable Sheds to apply for funding twice a year for health and wellbeing activities and events, shed improvements and tools and equipment
- $1.5 million to fund regional coordinators in each state and territory to provide direct assistance in Men’s Sheds
- $3.6 million to the Australian Men’s Shed Association to support Sheds at a national level
- $2 million to equip every Men’s Shed in Australia with a portable defibrillator
- $100,000 to establish a web based platform ‘Men’s Shed Exchange’, to encourage members to contribute ideas on attracting and retaining membership and how to stage regional events. Andrology Australia will host the portal.
On the whole, Australian men and boys enjoy long, healthy lives, with a current average life expectancy of more than 80 years, the eighth highest in the developed world.
Despite this, our men and boys face challenges in their health and wellbeing. They die earlier than women, and more often from diseases that can be prevented. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men live significantly shorter lives than other men
Overall, the National Men’s Heath Strategy lays out a clear blueprint for actions on the five priority health issues affecting men’s health:
- sexual and reproductive health and conditions
- mental health
- chronic conditions
- injuries and risk taking
- healthy ageing.
Important health issues for men include infertility, coronary heart disease, prostate cancer, overweight and obesity, diabetes, bowel cancer, lung cancer, injuries, mental health and suicide.
Health and medical research is one of the four pillars of the Government’s Long-Term National Health Plan.
Tragically, deaths by suicide in Australia occur among males at a rate three times greater than that for females.
This is why we are providing $114.5 million for a trial of walk-in integrated Adult Community Mental Health Centres at eight locations nationally; and $11.5 million for the National Mental Health Workplace Initiative to assist businesses to create mentally health workplaces.
Our Government’s strong economic management ensures the continued record investment into vital health initiatives.
For more information on the Government’s investments in men’s health please visit: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing….