Men’s Summit in the News
NZ Herald ‘Crisis of spirit’ hits health of NZ men
A former director of Lifeline, Bruce Mackie, says more men than women are dying in the workplace, on the roads and in water, and from cancer, heart disease and suicide, because they have learned not to value themselves.
He told the first national “men’s issues summit” in the Waitakere City Council chambers yesterday that boys grow up with no male role models of work/life balance and with media portrayals of men as “an irresponsible herd of buffoons”.
“The more we examine the state of men’s health, the more we expose problems of hopelessness, helplessness, meaninglessness and despair. This is a crisis of the spirit,” he said.
A number of male speakers, led by the embattled advocate for the “Kiwi bloke” John Tamihere, called for men’s problems in health, education and the justice system to be given the same kind of attention that was given to women’s issues.
“We must be quite fearless in the way we conduct our conversation, in the way we conduct our debate, in the light of some horrendous trends that are occurring, particularly with our young men,” Mr Tamihere said.
Victoria University researcher Paul Callister said men, not women, were bearing more of the “double burden” of paid work and unpaid childcare for children under 5.
“Is fathers’ work undervalued? The answer has to be yes in terms of a lack of public recognition of their ‘double burden’,” Dr Callister said.
NZCity: NewsTalkZB Men’s issues need to be brought to fore
John Tamihere is calling for men’s issues to be given more prominence.
Speaking at a conference in West Auckland, the Labour MP says advocating men’s issues does not mean they are against promoting the issues of other groups.
He says that criticism has put men off from promoting anything to do with their own values, health, and standards.
Radio New Zealand Newswire 06/05/2005:15:28
The former Labour Cabinet Minister, John Tamihere, has told the country’s first men’s issues summit that men need to accept their duties and obligations and stop blaming agencies of the state.
About 100 men are meeting in Waitakere City to talk about issues affecting men, and advocate for change.
In a speech to the meeting, Mr Tamihere highlighted the need for incentives to get men back onto education campuses to act as mentors.
Another speaker, Bruce Mackie, told the meeting the issue of men’s wellbeing is arguably the most important facing the country at this time.
Press Release: Waitakere City Bob Harvey - Men’s Summit
Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey today challenged New Zealand men to lift the game in terms of bettering themselves, doing better by women and children and taking their fatherhood responsibilities more seriously.
“There is still far too much domestic violence, sexism and aggressive male behaviour,” Mayor Harvey told the crowd of around 70.
“We are still seeing too many young men killing themselves – either by taking their own lives or through horrendous car accidents as bravado that seems more important than life itself.”
“We all know that these days women don’t fall about laughing as much as they used to when they hear the words ‘men’s group’ and I don’t think they’ve got the same misgivings about men getting together that they once had.”
“But we must continue to include women in our plans to redress the educational and social challenges facing men and boys. We must see women as allies not enemies. They are our team-mates in the game of healthy parenting and the co-creation of a healthy society. They are not the opposition and we must stop playing our end of that game.”
“We need to stand firm and tall for the forward view of what a truly honourable man is – a dynamic, intelligent guy who contributes to his family and community from a healthy place and space.”
The Nelson Mail 5 May 2005, Edition 2, Page 3.
Nelson fathering advocate Philip Chapman will be a guest speaker at New Zealand’s first Men’s Issues Summit in Auckland tomorrow.
Mr Chapman said Australia was “streets ahead'’ of New Zealand in addressing men’s issues, and he welcomed the summit as an opportunity to put the message out to people.
“I think we’re at a very basic awareness-raising stage. I question what the future is for boys in our country.'’
He said the biggest problem in advocating for men was the need to justify what they were able to bring to families.
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