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Let's talk about men's mental health, especially in the construction industry where men are nine times more likely to die from suicide than from a Work Health & Safety accident. At a construction site in Manly recently, I went and attended a Mates program. The session was confronting but deeply, deeply impactful. Early in the morning I sat with a group of tradies and construction workers on site to talk about suicide and the challenges they face. The session began with a simple question: put your hand up if you have been impacted by suicide or if you have lost someone to suicide. Every single person in that room raised their hand. It was a stark reminder of just how significant this issue is in their industry. The pressures of insecure work, tough conditions, stigma around mental health, gambling, substance abuse, alcohol and culture of just pushing through can have devastating consequences.

Mates is changing that culture and I condemn commend them for that. It is an evidence-based, industry led program that gives workers the tools to recognise when someone is struggling, start a difficult conversation and connect them with support. At its heart, mates is about connection. It's about making sure people know they are not alone and that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. Programs like this saves lives and I really want to commend them and thank them for including me. Having me there to really witness it first-hand. And I had some really insightful discussions with some of the participants around the challenges of their work and just the importance around men's mental health.