No afterthought: Men’s health at the fore

MEN’S health has been the talk of the region as the first special envoy wraps up a Corangamite tour.

Federal politician Dan Repacholi was appointed Australia’s first Special Envoy for Men’s Health in 2025 and is not afraid to have the big discussions.

Repacholi visited the St Leonards Mental Health Group, Strong Dads, Shaka Project, Complete Health Geelong and Power in You Project this week over a two-day tour.

He said meeting with genuine local groups is essential in shaping funding and understanding at the federal level.

“My role is getting all around the country talking to all the different organisations that work in the men’s health space,” Repacholi said.

“Not only to talk with those different organisations and hearing what their pinch points with government are, but also talking to the everyday men and women on the ground.

 

“If we’re hearing different things from men and women on the ground than what we’re hearing with all these different organisations, there’s no point just feeding money up into those organisations if it’s not actually hitting the people on the ground, where we need to make a difference.”

Repacholi said the tour was about hearing from a broad cross-section of the community.

“We’re talking to many, many different groups out here because if we don’t talk to all these different groups then we can’t make an informed decision,” he said. “We get out of the cities too.”

Repacholi acknowledged that despite Geelong’s growth, for community members away from the CBD on the Bellarine or the Surf Coast, access to health can still have significant barriers.

Member for Corangamite Libby Coker thanked Repacholi for visiting the region.

“As I move across our region, men’s health is an issue that comes up in so many conversations with community members, from mental health challenges to prostate and bowel cancer,” Coker said.

“That’s why I’ve invited Dan Repacholi, the first-ever Australian government Envoy for Men’s Health, to connect with local support groups across the electorate and see firsthand the vital work they do.

“When it comes to men’s health, local voices, local services and community-led solutions make all the difference.”