On International Men’s Day, Amplify Alliance had the honour of joining our Member organisation, The Man Cave, at Government House to launch the Parliamentary Friends of Healthy Masculinities group – a landmark initiative responding to the escalating wellbeing challenges facing boys and young men across Australia.
In a powerful display of cross-party commitment, Special Envoy for Men’s Health and Labor Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi MP, Liberal Member for Casey and Independent Senator David Pocock, launched the Parliamentary Friends of Healthy Masculinities group alongside The Man Cave, Australia’s leading preventative mental health charity for boys and young men.
International Men’s Day provided a fitting backdrop for this launch, reinforcing the importance of rewriting narratives of masculinity, challenging outdated stereotypes and refocusing attention on prevention, connection and positive identity for young men.
Their unified message was clear: Australia must invest in evidence-based mental health and wellbeing programs before harmful patterns become entrenched.
A Growing Crisis for Australia’s Boys and Young Men
Having worked with more than 100,000 young men over the past decade, The Man Cave has consistently highlighted a troubling trend: young men are facing unprecedented levels of distress.
Their research, developed in partnership with Flinders University, shows:
- 1 in 2 boys say that mental health is the biggest challenge they face right now
- 75% of all suicides in Australia are men
- 94% of women and 95% of men who have experienced violence since age 15 report a male perpetrator
- Boys report loneliness, limited positive role models, and pressure to “solve problems alone”
- 1 in 5 boys believe they should not seek help for personal challenges
These are not isolated issues – they demonstrate a national crisis. Crucially, they are preventable with early, coordinated and compassionate intervention.
The Man Cave’s work already reaches classrooms, clubs and communities across Australia. But as CEO Ben Vasiliou emphasised at the launch, “We now need governments to invest in prevention by funding evidence-based programs in every Australian school.”
The launch of the Parliamentary Friends of Healthy Masculinities marks a significant shift toward acknowledging and addressing the challenges facing boys and young men.
Advocating for Our Members, Representing Our Sector
As the national peak member association for social and human services, Amplify Alliance exists to ensure that the Not for Profit sector, and the communities it supports, are represented where it matters.
This launch demonstrates the voice of our Members is being heard at the highest levels of government.
Amplify Alliance is proud to stand by The Man Cave and our broader Member community to collectively advocate for systems that nurture wellbeing, dignity and opportunity for all.
We extend our gratitude to The Man Cave for their courageous leadership, to the parliamentarians co-chairing this new group, and to every one of our Members working tirelessly to strengthen families, communities and futures across Australia.
For more information on The Man Cave, visit themancave.life.
