Men and boys have been supported by the Federal Council of the Liberal Party. The pieces are falling into place for policy improvements and tangible advances, but we need strength in numbers.

The Federal Council of the Liberal Party has passed my motion on uplifting men and boys. This is one of my proudest moments in a dozen years of publicly advocating for males.

Two and a half months ago, I saw an opportunity to write a Policy Proposal that pushed for positive changes. Using a template from the local Policy Committee, and the results of the survey that I conducted during the summer, I got to work. There are three key objectives: reducing male suicide; tailoring healthcare to the needs and preferences of men; plus boosting the education performance of boys and young men.

From Grassroots Advocacy to National Policy

At each stage, I was pleased to see a wide range of people step forward to support and help my efforts to succeed: men and women of goodwill who were also keen on achieving positive change. Having written the motion and sharing it with party members, I engaged in conversations about the importance of addressing these issues.

The first formal stage was proposing the motion to my local Branch in Canberra, flagging it to the Management Committee and adding it to the General Business. Secondly was the ACT Divisional Policy Convention, where all the Branches assembled to consider motions from members. This included quite a few interactions, both in-person and digital, to lobby and influence the members of the party. At both stages, there was little visible opposition; my motion was welcomed and supported.

Finally, motions from across the country were included in the agenda for the Federal Council. This is the annual gathering of parliamentarians, party officials, and members that is similar to an Annual General Meeting of a business or charity. I proposed the motion and spoke to it amid the senior party leadership; David Lamerton seconded the motion, and another speaker also supported it (a female member from another Division). It passed with no detractors.

A Blueprint for Positive Change

I’m elated to have taken this idea from grassroots campaigning all the way to the senior figures in the Federal Opposition. It’s a great example of participatory democracy. This is how men and women of goodwill are collaborating for better social outcomes.

Huge gratitude to Adam Morris, Mark Parton, Gerry Wheeler, Brodie Taylor, Olga Imbriano, David Lamerton, Harry Kelly, Patrick Fazzone, Nick Tyrrell, and many other people who helped to make this happen.

I’ve done it, and so can you! Get involved in any of the political parties or social movements. Clearly state your evidence and your objectives, build coalitions of support, and bring people along on this journey to make a better future for our precious next generation.

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Click here to find out more and follow David’s excellent work at Celebrating Masculinity on Substack.