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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Lucy Bladen

Liberals call for recognition of International Men's Day as part of men's health plan

The ACT's opposition will call for the government to develop a 10-year plan for men's health in the territory.

Opposition health spokeswoman Leanne Castley will also call for the government to recognise International Men's Day as part of the health plan.

Ms Castley will move a motion in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday to call for the ACT government to develop a public health awareness campaign by mid next year.

The motion will say on a 2019 report card into men's health in the ACT that four out of five Canberrans under 65 who die from heart disease are men, 57 per cent of Canberrans who die from cancer are men and three quarters of suicides are men.

It will say the territory has a women's health plan but there is no parallel strategy focused on improving services and initiatives for men's health and wellbeing.

"My motion calls on the Labor-Greens government to develop a plan that addresses men's health and wellbeing as well as the social circumstances that prevent men from accessing health when they need it," Ms Castley said.

"The Labor-Greens government has released important strategies to improve equity and access of health services for women and LGBTIQ+ groups. It is important for the government to continue this work and develop a parallel strategy for men's health."

Australian Men's Health Forum chief executive Glen Poole said the organisation supported the call for a men's health plan.

"Issues like preventing male suicide, tackling higher rates of premature death for men and ensuring access to male-friendly services with a targeted approach," he said.

Ms Castley will also call for the government to recognise international men's day on November 19.

International Men's Day was founded by researcher Jerome Teelucksingh in Trinidad and Tobago in 1999 who chose the date November 19 to honour his father as it was his birthday.

Unlike International Women's Day, it is not marked by the United Nations. The UN marks the day to focus on women's rights and to advance gender equality.

Opposition health spokeswoman Leanne Castley will move a motion calling for a men's health plan. Picture by Keegan Carroll
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