Received: from beru.its.uow.edu.au (130.130.68.31) by staffmail.uow.edu.au (10.5.102.13) with Microsoft SMTP Server id 8.1.340.0; Sun, 8 Mar 2009 09:55:07 +1100 Received: from febris-nat.its.uow.edu.au ([130.130.68.210] helo=febris.its.uow.edu.au) by beru.its.uow.edu.au with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1Lg5QA-0002vN-TT for blane@uow.edu.au; Sun, 08 Mar 2009 09:55:06 +1100 Received: from c3.confirmedcc.com (c3.confirmedcc.com [64.95.77.164]) by febris.its.uow.edu.au (MOS 3.10.3-GA) with ESMTP id QZC88378; Sun, 8 Mar 2009 09:55:02 +1100 (EST) Received: from p2-ws508.ad.prodcc.net (unknown [10.252.0.101]) by c3.confirmedcc.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8F11E34E8586 for ; Sat, 7 Mar 2009 17:35:39 -0500 (EST) From: Fatherhood Foundation To: Brian Lane Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 09:38:06 +1100 Subject: Healthy Men, Healthy Families, Healthy Nation Thread-Topic: Healthy Men, Healthy Families, Healthy Nation Thread-Index: Acmfd8LioteiYl9RT3Cu7rV9S1Eu4w== Message-ID: <1102487915054.1101938345415.1211.8.107173519@scheduler> List-Unsubscribe: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=un&v=001jm8CFGIzLJHYg-gJRLc-3d90mBLDU8ykzug-9MhijtP7vJUg9prNqA== Reply-To: "info@fathersonline.org" Accept-Language: en-AU, en-US Content-Language: en-US X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthAs: Anonymous X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthSource: excasht01.ad.uow.edu.au X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: x-junkmail-status: score=10/49, host=febris.its.uow.edu.au x-junkmail-sd-raw: score=unknown, refid=str=0001.0A0B0209.49B2FB4A.014F:SCFMA772204,ss=1,fgs=0, ip=64.95.77.164, so=2008-09-22 23:22:13, dmn=5.7.1/2008-09-02, mode=single engine x-junkmail-iwf: false x-return-path-hint: ESC1102487915054_1101938345415_1211@in.confirmedcc.com x-roving-id: 1101938345415.1211 x-lumos-senderid: 1101938345415 x-roving-campaignid: 1102487915054 x-roving-streamid: 0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="_000_1102487915054110193834541512118107173519scheduler_" MIME-Version: 1.0 --_000_1102487915054110193834541512118107173519scheduler_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable HTML Web Version Dads4Kids Newsletter [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/526.gif?a=3D1= 102487915054] 9th March 2009 Inspiring Fathers Encouraging Families Issue 342 [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/stock1/3m9q9k8q.jpg] Healthy Men, Healthy Families, Healthy Nation Dear Brian, Welcome to the Fatherhood Foundation newsletter and email information servi= ce for Fathers and Families as we present Healthy Men, Healthy Families, He= althy Nation. We encourage you to lodge a submission to the Senate Men's Health Inquiry T= wo lines, two paragraphs or two pages. Healthier Men means Healthier Famili= es and a Healthier Nation. Submissions close Friday 13th March 2009. In This Issue Frontline...Government Office needed for Men Link...World's Fattest Man Laughter..He Heee! Grandfathers...Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Single Dads...Men's Health Round Table Report All You Need is Love..Why Marriage Matters Special Feature...Good Men's Health Policy News & Info..Men's Health Enquiry Dad's Prayer..Keeping the Temple Tidy Next Week Motherhood Undervalued [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] Join our Mailing List! [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/ftf_btn_1.gif] Quick Links Fatherhood Foundation Lone Fathers Fatherhood Project Fatherhood Institute UK Smart Marriages Centre for Action and Contemplation Festival of Light Richard Hillman Foundation Men's Confraternity CSA Adverts [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/651.jpg?a=3D1= 102487915054] Thought of the Week [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/643.jpg?a=3D1= 102487915054] You may think no one is listening but they cannot hear if you don't speak. Tony Miller Frontline [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/649.jpg?a=3D1= 102487915054]I will always remember the day I heard the news. It was midmor= ning of a busy day in Canberra. I was in the caf=E9 at Parliament House tal= king to a friend when I got a call from Darwin on my mobile. "Don Green is = Dead." No, surely, not Don: the father of four beautiful children; the man = who had cheated death many times. Don: the croc hunter and snake catcher ex= traordinaire. Don: shot with a rifle when he was young. He survived! Don: e= lectrocuted several times. He survived! The story of one of those electrocutions is amazing. Don was an electrician= and was working 9 metres off the ground on a power pole. Somehow he touche= d a high voltage wire and received a massive shock. He died instantly. But = as Don fell to the ground he landed on a low cut stump which somehow kicked= his heart back into life. In spite of horrific burns, he survived. Sadly Don did not survive the heart attack that came without warning. His w= ife Robyn told me the story. "Don had woken up with chest pains so I agreed= to take him to the hospital. As we prepared to leave I looked at him and s= aw how ill he looked. "Honey, are you OK?" I asked. Don motioned to me. I s= tepped towards him and his big arms encircled me as he hugged me. "Robyn, I= love you," he whispered. Moments later he was dead." Unfortunately Don's story is not uncommon. The greatest single killer for m= en in Australia today is heart failure. Many men die before their time. Men die from heart disease at 1.7 times the rate of women. Men die from lung cancer at 2.3 times the rate of women. Men die from diabetes at 1.6 times the rate of women. Men die from chronic lower respiratory diseases at 1.9 times the rate of wo= men. Men account for 95% of fatal work accidents. Men commit suicide at 4 times the rate of women. Australia's suicide rate is actually higher than the national road toll. Many estimate that our suicide rate is 30% under reported. Most of the unre= ported suicides are men. Suicides by men are 4 times the rate of women. If= that is the case then more men die from suicide each year than all the men= and women combined who die in motor vehicle accidents each year. The saddest thought is that most of the above deaths are preventable. Australia has had a National Women's Health Policy since 1989. This is high= ly commendable. The Rudd Government is currently working on a National Men'= s Health Policy. Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation can take some credit for t= his due to its work in Parliament House over the past 7 years. However the = danger is: Will the current men's health policy under consideration deal wi= th the broad array of problems and discrimination that men still encounter = at the hands of governmental institutions and society at large that contrib= ute directly to their bad health statistics. For example, take the case of the separated father who was jailed for 8 day= s with hardened criminals. His crime? He sent a birthday card to his estran= ged daughter whom he had been forbidden to see by the crazy court system. I= s it any wonder we are experiencing an epidemic of suicide amongst separate= d fathers? [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/650.jpg?a=3D1= 102487915054]We need a health policy that looks at men's medical condition,= service delivery, nutrition and exercise issues, but we need a health poli= cy that examines the broader issues, the social determinants of men's healt= h, if you will. The shocking state of boy's education, the lack of male rol= e models and the need for rites of passage for our boys and our men, the ne= ed for marriage and relationship training, the need for a reformation in ou= r legal system at every level when it comes to the overt discrimination tha= t men experience within the system. We need a government department that wi= ll drive change, an office for the Status of Men and Fathers, a government = department dedicated to helping men and fathers address the inequities in t= he health, legal, employment and educational system that contributes direct= ly to the fact that men are dying 5 years younger than women. Lovework Tony Miller, the founder of 'dads in distress', writes in Single Dads this = week, "You may think no one is listening but they cannot hear if you don't = speak." Get your submission into the Senate Men's Health Inquiry by 13th Ma= rch. Two lines, two paragraphs or two pages, it doesn't matter the length, = the government needs to hear your voice. This is not just about you, its ab= out your children. Yours for our children Warwick Marsh PS This week I attended a Men's Health Roundtable in Sydney with the chair = of the Senate Inquiry Cory Bernardi. Many leaders from within the men's mov= ement were in attendance. It was a deeply moving experience. (Full report i= n News & InfoInfo) Aboriginal health inequities featured prominently. Tony = Miller's story telling (see Single Dads) moved us to tears. The men of Australia desperately need a voice in government. An Office for = the Status of Men and Fathers is the only way to move men's health forward.= Tell the Senate Inquiry what you want. They won't know unless you speak. P= lease pass this newsletter along to your friends and ask them to put in a s= ubmission before this coming Friday 13th March 2009. WM ____________________________________________________________________ Warwick Marsh has been married to Alison for 33 years. He is the grandfath= er of two children and father of five children, four boys and one girl, ran= ging in age from 28 years to 16 years. Warwick is a musician, songwriter, = producer and public speaker who likes to think he can still laugh at himsel= f. Link of the Week Not Good Laughter [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/640.jpg?a=3D1= 102487915054] A hangover is the wrath of grapes. My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God= and I didn't I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it. Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them I used to have a handle on life, but it broke Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me Earth is the insane asylum for the universe I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are just missing. Out of my mind. Back in five minutes God must love stupid people; He made so many The gene pool could use a little chlorine Consciousness: That annoying time between naps [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/641.jpg?a=3D1= 102487915054] Ever stop to think, and forget to start again? Being 'over the hill' is much better than being under it! Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance. Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere! They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless DEAD. Ham and eggs...A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig. I smile because I don't know what the hell is going on. Grandfathers [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/644.jpg?a=3D1= 102487915054] Men will spend their health getting wealth; then gladly pay all they have earned to get health back. Mike Murdoch Single Dads [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/646.jpg?a=3D= 1102487915054] [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif]Report - Round Table on M= en's Health - 5th March 2009 Yesterday I attended a round table discussion into Men's Health organised b= y Warwick Marsh of the Fatherhood Foundation. Senator Cory Bernardi attende= d the meeting and heard from a number of Men's Organisation leaders their t= houghts and views. Professor John Macdonald from the University of Western = Sydney, and one of the new Men's Health Ambassadors, expressed himself as a= lways with great passion for the plight of men in this country. It was good= to see and hear men with kindness and compassion in their hearts. I gave my brief and wish list verbally to the senator as we all did. Toward= s the end I put forward the following analogy of Men's Health in Australia = today (my thoughts only). Senator, my analogy of Men's health today is: Visualise a man who has tried to hang himself. He is dangling from a rope, = struggling to breathe, gasping for air. He doesn't really want to die, just= doesn't know what to do anymore. And here we are, holding him up, trying d= esperately to hang onto his kicking legs in order to keep him alive and abl= e to breathe, while we wait for help to arrive, anybody, somebody, to help = us. And I also told him of a call I received the night before the meeting and o= f a little girl called Sara, who after we had helped her Dad survive, who w= as in a dire place, said, "Will you ask the Senator to help my dad." I had = told her earlier that I was going to Sydney to speak with the Senator and a= lot of other very important men about how we are going to help lots of dad= dies who are struggling like her dad. Sara was 10 years old.......... Presently there is an Independent Senate Inquiry into Men's Health in this = country. If you feel you can add something of value to men's health in Aust= ralia please do not hesitate to put a submission in with your ideas. Submis= sions close on the 13th March (the end of this week). It can be just a paragraph or a page or more, but it is important. You may think no one is listening but they cannot hear if you don't speak. So speak up and tell them what it is you want to see. If not for yourself then do it for your children. http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/menshealth_ctte/index.htm The 'dads in distress' organisation will close by the end of June unless so= meone comes to our rescue. There will need to be someone else holding the m= en up, keeping them alive, while we await the decision makers. Sad times we live in . . . Tony Miller Founder Dads in Distress Inc MOB: 0422105855 BUS: 0266 528113 C/L : 1300 853437 [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif]All You Need is Love Why Marriage Matters[http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345= 415/img/493.jpg?a=3D1102487915054] What do we know about the importance of marriage for children, for adults a= nd for society? There has been a sharp increase over the last two generatio= ns in the proportion of children who do not live with their own two married= parents, spurred first largely by increases in divorce, and more recently = by large jumps in unmarried or cohabiting childbearing. A vigorous public d= ebate sparked by these changes in family structure has generated a growing = body of social science literature on the consequences of family fragmentati= on. This report is an attempt to summarize this large body of scientific resear= ch into a succinct form useful to Australians, Americans and others on all = sides of ongoing family debates - to report what we know about the importan= ce of marriage in our family and social system. Marriage has changed a great deal over the past two generations, including = increased incidence and social acceptance of divorce, cohabitation, premari= tal sex, and unwed childbearing. Other important changes include dramatic i= ncreases in the proportion of working wives, reduced tolerance for domestic= violence, and a change in gender roles. Over the past 40 years, both men a= nd women have become increasingly likely to support greater participation b= y men in the household and women in the labour force, and less sharp differ= entiation between women's and men's roles. Yet when it comes to the benefit= s of marriage, research shows more impressive evidence of continuity than c= hange or decline. Social science is better equipped to document whether certain social facts = are true than to say why they are true. We can assert more definitively tha= t marriage is associated with powerful social goods than that marriage is t= he sole or main cause of these goods. Good research seeks to tease out what scholars call "selection effects," or= the pre-existing differences between individuals who decide to divorce, ma= rry, or become unwed parents. Does divorce cause poverty, for example, or i= s it simply that poor people are more likely to divorce? Good social scienc= e attempts to distinguish between causal relationships and mere correlation= s in a variety of ways. The studies cited here are for the most part based = on large, nationally representative samples that control for race, family b= ackground, and other confounding factors. In many, but not all cases, socia= l scientists have been able to use longitudinal data to track individuals a= s they marry, divorce or stay single, increasing our confidence that marria= ge itself matters. Where the evidence is, in our view, overwhelming that ma= rriage causes increases in well-being, we say so. Where marriage probably d= oes so but the causal pathways are not as well understood, we are more caut= ious. We recognize that, apart from random assignment to marriage, divorce or sin= gle parenting, social scientists must always acknowledge the possibility th= at other factors are influencing outcomes. (For example, relatively few fam= ily-structure studies attempt to assess the role of genetics.) Reasonable s= cholars may and do disagree on the existence and extent of such selection e= ffects and the extent to which marriage is causally related to the better s= ocial outcomes reported here. And of course individual circumstances vary. 1 While divorce is associated with serious increased psychological risks fo= r children, for example, the majority of children of divorce are not mental= ly ill. 2 While marriage is a social good, not all marriages are equal. Research do= es not generally support the idea that remarriage is better for children th= an living with a single mother. 3 Marriages that are unhappy do not have the same benefits as the average m= arriage. 4 Divorce or separation provides an important escape hatch for children and= adults in violent or high-conflict marriages. Families, communities, and p= olicy makers interested in distributing the benefits of marriage more equal= ly must do more than merely discourage legal divorce. Social science is typically better equipped to answer general questions (Ar= e high rates of divorce and unwed childbearing likely to reduce overall chi= ld well-being?) than to answer questions facing individual parents (Will my= particular children in my particular circumstances be harmed or helped by = divorce?). But we believe good social science, despite its inherent limitations, is a = better guide to social policy than uninformed opinion or prejudice. The pub= lic and policy makers deserve to hear what research suggests about the cons= equences of marriage and its absence for children and adults. This report r= epresents our best judgment of what the current social science evidence rev= eals about the importance of marriage in our social system. Here is our fundamental conclusion: Marriage is an important social good, a= ssociated with an impressively broad array of positive outcomes for childre= n and adults alike. Family structure and processes are of course only one factor contributing t= o child and social well-being. Our discussion here is not meant to minimize= the importance of other social and economic factors, such as poverty, chil= d support, unemployment, neighbourhood safety, or the quality of education = for both parents and children. But whether our society succeeds or fails in building a healthy marriage cu= lture is clearly a matter of legitimate public concern. Twenty-One Reasons Why Marriage Matters =A92004 is a document produced by t= he National Marriage Coalition. The full document can be viewed and downloa= ded at: http://www.fatherhood.org.au/resources_researchPublications.html Special Feature [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] A Good Men's Health Policy[http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/11019= 38345415/img/645.jpg?a=3D1102487915054] Intro - Warwick Marsh Greg Andresen's speech, 'A Good Mens Health Policy' was delivered at the Me= n's Health Roundtable last Thursday 5th March 2009 in Sydney's CBD. I was f= ighting to hold back the tears as he spoke. The men's movement is in desperate need of men who are prepared to speak up= and make a stand for the truth, especially those who will speak with such = eloquence and passion. Men's Health is not just about doctors and nurses. Men's Health is not just= about prevention of disease. Men's Health is about becoming a man: "findin= g the true man" to quote Dr Elizabeth Celi who was a participant at the Men= 's Health Roundtable. Men's Health is about believing enough in your own vo= ice to speak up on behalf of those who cannot speak. It's about speaking up= for the single dads of Australia like the single father from Melbourne who= was put in goal for 8 days recently. His only crime? He sent a birthday ca= rd to his daughter. Men's Health is about speaking up on behalf of the thousands of men who com= mit suicide each year. Most of who are single dads. Many leave children beh= ind with unanswered questions. Most die without even leaving a note. Men's = Health is all about family. It's about being a great dad and a great husban= d. It's about speaking up on behalf of the fatherless. It's about friendshi= p and fellowship. It's about compassion and the ability to lend a helping h= and in time of need I believe Greg's words summed up the reasons for the Men's Health Roundtabl= e. I believe his words summed up what millions of men around Australia are = feeling but are unable to articulate for one reason or another. We need to = speak up on behalf of these men. I hope and pray that the Senate Select Committee inquiry into Mens Health t= hat closes on the 13th of March 2009 will hear the voice of many men and re= ceive many submissions that will highlight the following points. Warwick Marsh Speech by Greg Andresen Mens Health Network - given at the Mens Health Roundtable 5th of March 2009 Sydney CBD A good men's health policy would respect and value the risks that men take = in their work, and invest money in excellent occupational health and safety= programs so that when men do their work, their health is put at a little l= ess at risk. It would bring back occupational health nurses into large male= -dominated workplaces so that men could receive health checks and health-pr= omotion messages in a way that fits with their lives. It would also impleme= nt schemes to make existing health services more male-friendly, and address= the underfunding of research into men's health issues. A good men's health policy would talk about the devastating effect that une= mployment has on men's health and wellbeing. It would be concerned that our= feminised education system is becoming so unattractive to many boys that t= hey start to believe that doing well at school is "what girls do" and drop = out of the system altogether. And if they do drop out, it would talk about = a revitalised apprenticeship system that would steer these boys into meanin= gful employment and out of the dole queues. It would also introduce scheme= s to get more male teachers into the classroom from early childhood educati= on right through to high school, and introduce modern-day rites-of-passage = to guide our boys from boyhood to healthy manhood. If many men derive their sense of purpose from working to provide for the = ones they love - their families, children and communities, a good men's hea= lth policy would talk about the devastating effect upon men of relationship= breakdown, of having their children taken away from them, of a family cour= t system that they feel is biased against them, and a media that then paint= s them as "angry disgruntled men". It would talk about paid paternity leave= and making changes to workplaces so that it becomes normal for men to take= time off work to care for their families and children, rather than fearing= that if they do so they will be persecuted or lose their chances of promot= ion or even lose their job. It would also amend the Sex Discrimination Act = so that men with family responsibilities are covered by it. A good men's health policy would talk about supporting and funding initiati= ves such as men's sheds and mentoring programs so that once men retire, the= y can maintain their sense of purpose and their sense of community. It woul= d talk about supporting the many older men who are full or part-time carers= for partners and other family members. It would talk about supporting and = funding Aboriginal men's groups that are working to restore the important s= ocial roles of Aboriginal men that have been taken away by colonisation and= welfare dependency. It would create men's studies programs in our universi= ties so that undergraduate students leave university with knowledge about t= he intimate lives of men that they can apply when they work with men in the= ir future careers. And finally, by doing all of the above and more, a good = men's health policy would hopefully reduce the tragically high rates of mal= e suicide and alcohol/drug abuse. And who knows, it might also reduce the l= evels of violence in the community. Some of you might have noticed that I haven't talked much here about diseas= e, about prostates and testicles, about medicine, doctors and hospitals. Th= at's because I believe men's health is much much broader than that. It is a= bout creating social environments which give men and boys a sense of purpos= e, of being valued and loved, of being supported, of being part of a commun= ity. These are the social determinants of HEALTH. A men's health policy tha= t ignores the reality of men's lives and the roles that they play, is bound= to fail. Greg Andresen, 2009 News & Info [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif][http://origin.ih.constant= contact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/648.jpg?a=3D1102487915054] Mum & Dad don't get Superannuation ATTEMPTS to educate "mum and dad" investors about investment and superannua= tion decisions could be a waste of time, according to Superannuation Minist= er Nick Sherry Men's Health Roundtable Sydney 5th March 2009 The Fatherhood Foundation was privileged to work with other men's groups to= convene a National Men's Health Roundtable on Thursday 5th March 2009. The= purpose of the National Men's Health Roundtable was to help the current ch= airman of the Senate Select Committee into Men's Health Cory Bernardi, to h= ear directly from leaders in the men and father's movement and what they wa= nted to see included in a National Men's Health Policy. Greg Andresen, whose speech is in Special Feature, excelled as usual. Abori= ginal Men's Health Leader Rick Welsh, spoke about the ignominy of being cut= off from his children by an anti-male court system. Tony Miller, the found= er of Dads in Distress, shared with the Senator the sad story that dads in = distress is about to be defunded come 30th June. In the light of a Nationa= l Men's Health Policy, this is a national disgrace. Peter Sergeant, CEO Men= 's Sheds, shared about the important contribution Men's Sheds are making to= men's health. Dr Elizabeth Celi, a men's health advocate from Victoria and= Professor John Macdonald, University of Western Sydney, gave passionate an= d meaningful presentations along with many other leaders representing the m= en and father's movement. We encourage our readers to get a submission in to the Senate Select Commit= tee Inquiry into Men's Health. The Fatherhood Foundation has proposed that= we need an 'Office for the Status of Men & Fathers' or a 'Ministry for Men= & Fathers' to be established and to be accountable to the Prime Minister's= department. URGENT - Get your Men's Health Submission in! Two line, two paragraphs or two pages. The committee is to report by 30 May 2009. Submissions are due by new closing date 13th March 2009 and may be submitte= d online or emailed to menshealth.sen@aph.gov.au . For further information see - http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/menshealth_ctte/tor.htm or phone (02) 6277 3559 Proposal by Fatherhood Foundation to the Federal Government That an 'Office for the Status of Men & Fathers or a Ministry for Men and F= athers' be established and be accountable to the Prime Minister's Departmen= t. This is the first point of The 12Pt Plan - Fathers in Families document, wh= ich some in this room helped formulate in 2003. Little has changed in 6 yea= rs: 1. Cultural discrimination against men and fathers continues. 2. Governmental discrimination against men and fathers continues. 3. Monetary discrimination against men and fathers continues. 4. Medical discrimination against men and fathers continues. 5. Political discrimination against men and fathers continues. Specific Proposal: To establish an 'Office for the Status of Men and Fathers' with a 3 year te= rm with a maximum 3 year extension clause and a 3 + 3 year sunset clause to= avoid bureaucratic entrenchment. The purpose of the Office is to work toge= ther with other government departments to release funds to promote men's he= alth, conduct research projects, establish preventative strategies, establi= sh holistic training and education for men, boys and fathers with an aim to= support families and work towards the greater good of the men, women and c= hildren of Australia. The Fatherhood Foundation would like to thank all those within the men and = father's movement who made the National Men's Health Roundtable a great suc= cess and encourage our readers to email Senator Cory Bernardi to thank him = for his interest in men's health and to encourage him to continue to guide = the inquiry into tackling the issues that affect men's health in the broade= r perspective: Senator.Bernardi@aph.gov.au Letters Dear Fatherhood Foundation Well done! Your most recent newsletter was very touching. Your enclosed story written = by the child of a couple who got divorced was moving. It highlighted to me = the importance of maintaining a healthy marriage and promoting the welfare = of my children Gareth _______________________ Dear Fatherhood Foundation The Victorian State government is running ads on Melbourne radio. The substance of the ads are as follows: 1. Domestic violence now includes mental violence such as withholding money= . 2. If you've had money withheld, this now constitutes violence in the state= of Victoria. 3. Call the police 4. You can request the offender can be removed from the family home. True! I nearly fell off my chair when the ad aired over and over one eveni= ng. What is going on? How did these laws get introduced by the Law Reform Commi= ssion, let alone passed? Think of the implications of these ads. Think of the negative messages they= send to already distressed and fractured families. Moreover, the community does not need these sorts of ads as we slip into th= e worst economic crisis since the 1930's depression. Have the feminists totally taken over Victoria? Victor Dad's Prayer [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/647.jpg?a=3D1= 102487915054] Dear God Give me eyes to see, and a heart to understand that every breath comes from you. My body is the temple of your Holy Spirit, and it is up to me to keep the temple tidy. It is up to me to eat the right food, and lay down the remote control, and take time to work, rest and play: To rejuvenate my spirit To be filled with your Spirit To enjoy the cathedral of your creation So that I can give You to others. Help Us! [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif]The Fatherhood Foundation = is a Harm Prevention Charity. Fatherlessness and inadequate fathering has been proven to be a source of h= arm. The Fatherhood Foundation helps children by promoting excellence in f= athering. Excellent fathers are in word and deed: responsible, involved, pr= otective, loving and committed to the well-being of their children and thei= r children's mother. If you would like to give financially to the Fatherhood Foundation Public F= und and receive tax deductibility: Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund (Name, address and amount details must be emailed for a receipt for tax ded= uctibility) Westpac Branch Wollongong DONATE ONLINE BSB: 032 695 A/C: 25-5558 Or mail cheque and address details to: PO Box 542 UNANDERRA NSW 2526 AUSTRALIA The Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund is a public fund listed on the Regis= ter of Harm Prevention Charities under Subdivision 30_EA of the Income Tax = Assessment Act 1997. You have received the fathersonline.org newsletter because you have subscri= bed, or you have been subscribed by a friend. If you do not wish to receiv= e future emails, please click the UNSUBSCRIBE button below. Forward email [http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/safe_unsubscribe_logo.gif] This email was sent to blane@uow.edu.au by info@fathersonline.org. Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(tm) | Pri= vacy Policy. Email Marketing= by [http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/cc-logo-color-sm.gif] Fatherhood Foundation | P.O. Box 542 | Unanderra | NSW | 2526 | Australia --_000_1102487915054110193834541512118107173519scheduler_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
HTML Web Version Dads4Kids Newsletter
=09
3D"Dads4Kids
=09
=09 =09 =09 =09 =09
 9th March 2009      Inspiring Fathers Encouraging Families  Issue 342
 

 

 
Healthy Men, Healthy Families, Healthy Nation
Dear Brian,
Welcome to the Fatherhood Foundation newsletter and email information = service for Fathers and Families as we present Healthy Men, Healthy Familie= s, Healthy  Nation.
We encourage you to lodge a submission to the Se= nate Men's Health Inquiry Two lines, two paragraphs or two pages. Healt= hier Men means Healthier Families and a Healthier Nation.
Submissions= close Friday 13th March 2009.
<= /font>
=09
In This Issue
Frontline...Government Office needed for Men
Link...World's Fattest Man
Laughter..He Heee!
Grandfathers...Healthy, Wealthy & Wise
Single Dads...Men's Health Round Table Report
All You Need is Love..Why Marriage Matters
Special Feature...Good Men's Health Policy
News & Info..Men's Health Enquiry
Dad's Prayer..Keeping the Temple Tidy
Next Week&nb= sp;

 Motherhood Undervalued

 =09 =09
= Join our Mailing List!
 
Quick Links
 Thought of the Week
3D"Not
 You may think
no one is listening
but they cannot= hear
if you don't speak.
 
Tony Miller
Frontline
= I= will always remember the day I heard the news. It was midmorning of a= busy day in Canberra. I was in the caf=E9 at Parliament House talking to a= friend when I got a call from Darwin on my mobile. "Don Green is Dead." No= , surely, not Don: the father of four beautiful children; the man who had c= heated death many times. Don: the croc hunter and snake catcher extraordina= ire. Don: shot with a rifle when he was young. He survived! Don: electrocut= ed several times. He survived!
 
The story of one of those e= lectrocutions is amazing. Don was an electrician and was working 9 metres o= ff the ground on a power pole. Somehow he touched a high voltage wire and r= eceived a massive shock. He died instantly. But as Don fell to the ground h= e landed on a low cut stump which somehow kicked his heart back into life. = In spite of horrific burns, he survived.
 
Sadly Don did not= survive the heart attack that came without warning. His wife Robyn told me= the story. "Don had woken up with chest pains so I agreed to take him = to the hospital. As we prepared to leave I looked at him and saw how ill he= looked. "Honey, are you OK?" I asked. Don motioned to me. I stepped toward= s him and his big arms encircled me as he hugged me. "Robyn, I love you," h= e whispered. Moments later he was dead."
 
Unfortunatel= y Don's story is not uncommon. The greatest single killer for men in Austra= lia today is heart failure.  Many men die before their time.
&nbs= p;
Men die from heart disease at 1.7 times the rate of women.
Men= die from lung cancer at 2.3 times the rate of women.
Men die from dia= betes at 1.6 times the rate of women.
Men die from chronic lower respi= ratory diseases at 1.9 times the rate of women.
Men account for 95% of= fatal work accidents.
Men commit suicide at 4 times the rate of women= .
Australia's suicide rate is actually= higher than the national road toll.
 
Many = estimate that our suicide rate is 30% under reported. Most of the unreporte= d suicides are men. Suicides  by men are 4 times the rate of women. If= that is the case then more men die from suicide each year than all the men= and women combined who die in motor vehicle accidents each year.
&nbs= p;
The saddest thought is that most of the above deaths are preventabl= e.
 
Australia has had a National Women's Health Policy sinc= e 1989. This is highly commendable. The Rudd Government is currently workin= g on a National Men's Health Policy. Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation can ta= ke some credit for this due to its work in Parliament House over the past 7= years. However the danger is: Will the current men's health policy under c= onsideration deal with the broad array of problems and discrimination that = men still encounter at the hands of governmental institutions and society a= t large that contribute directly to their bad health statistics.
 = ;
For example, take the case of the separated father who was jailed fo= r 8 days with hardened criminals. His crime? He sent a birthday card to his= estranged daughter whom he had been forbidden to see by the crazy court sy= stem. Is it any wonder we are experiencing an epidemic of suicide amongst s= eparated fathers?
 
3D"CHestWe need a health policy that looks at men's medical condition, = service delivery, nutrition and exercise issues, but we need a health polic= y that examines the broader issues, the social determinants of men's health= , if you will. The shocking state of boy's education, the lack of male role= models and the need for rites of passage for our boys and our men, the nee= d for marriage and relationship training, the need for a reformation in our= legal system at every level when it comes to the overt discrimination that= men experience within the system. We need a government department that wil= l drive change, an office for the Status of Men and Fathers, a government d= epartment dedicated to helping men and fathers address the inequities in th= e health, legal, employment and educational system that contributes directl= y to the fact that men are dying 5 years younger than women.
 Lovework
 
Tony Miller, the founder of '= dads in distress', writes in Single Dads this week, "You may think no o= ne is listening but they cannot hear if you don't speak." Get your sub= mission into the Senate Men's Health Inquiry by 13th March. Two lines, two = paragraphs or two pages, it doesn't matter the length, the government needs= to hear your voice. This is not just about you, its about your children. 
Yours for our children
Warwick Marsh
 
= PS This week I attended a Men's Health Roundtable in Sydney with the chair = of the Senate Inquiry Cory Bernardi. Many leaders from within the men's mov= ement were in attendance. It was a deeply moving experience. (Full report in News & InfoInfo) Aboriginal health inequities f= eatured prominently. Tony Miller's story telling (see Single Dads) moved us to tears.
 
The men of Australi= a desperately need a voice in government. An Office for the Status of Men a= nd Fathers is the only way to move men's health forward. Tell the Senate In= quiry what you want. They won't know unless you speak. Please pass this new= sletter along to your friends and ask them to put in a submission before th= is coming Friday 13th March 2009.
WM
___________________________= _________________________________________

Warwick Marsh &nb= sp;has been married to Alison for 33 years. He is the grandfather= of two children and father of five children, four boys and one girl, rangi= ng in age from 28 years to 16 years.  Warwick is a musician, song= writer, producer and public speaker who likes to think he can still laugh a= t himself.
Link of the Week
Laughter
= =
3D"Hangover 
 
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
 
My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he wa= s God and I didn't

I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every m= inute of it.

Some people are alive only because it's illegal to = kill them

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke
Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive

You're j= ust jealous because the voices only talk to me

Earth is the insa= ne asylum for the universe

I'm not a complete idiot -- Some part= s are just missing.

Out of my mind. Back in five minutes
God must love stupid people; He made so many

The gene pool c= ould use a little chlorine

Consciousness: That annoying time bet= ween naps
3D"Weird

Ever stop to think, and= forget to start again?

Being 'over the hill' is much better tha= n being under it!

Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to= Be When I Grew up.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a = cash advance.

Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!
=
They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken

He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless DEAD.

Ham and egg= s...A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

I smile because I don't know what the hell is going on.
<= /div>
Grandfathers
3D"Overweight 
Men will spend their health getting wealth;
then gladly pay all t= hey have earned
to get health back.
 
Mike Murdoch
 
Single Dads
 3D"Man
Report  - Round = Table on Men's Health - 5th March 2009
 
Yes= terday I attended a round table discussion into Men's Health organised by W= arwick Marsh of the Fatherhood Foundation. Senator Cory Bernardi attended t= he meeting and heard from a number of Men's Organisation leaders their thou= ghts and views. Professor John Macdonald from the University of Western Syd= ney, and one of the new Men's Health Ambassadors, expressed himself as alwa= ys with great passion for the plight of men in this country. It was good to= see and hear men with kindness and compassion in their hearts.
 =
I gave my brief and wish list verbally to the senator as we all did. = Towards the end I put forward the following analogy of Men's Health in Aust= ralia today (my thoughts only).
 
Senator, my analogy of Men= 's health today is:
Visualise a man who has tried to hang himself. He= is dangling from a rope, struggling to breathe, gasping for air. He doesn'= t really want to die, just doesn't know what to do anymore. And here we are= , holding him up, trying desperately to hang onto his kicking legs in order= to keep him alive and able to breathe, while we wait for help to arrive, a= nybody, somebody, to help us.
 
And I also told him of a cal= l I received the night before the meeting and of a little girl called Sara,= who after we had helped her Dad survive, who was in a dire place, said,&nb= sp;"Will you ask the Senator to help my dad." I had told her earlier that I= was going to Sydney to speak with the Senator and a lot of other very impo= rtant men about how we are going to help lots of daddies who are struggling= like her dad. Sara was 10 years old..........
 
Presently t= here is an Independent Senate Inquiry into Men's Health in this country. If= you feel you can add something of value to men's health in Australia pleas= e do not hesitate to put a submission in with your ideas. Submissions close= on the 13th March (the end of this week).
It can be just a paragraph= or a page or more, but it is important.
You may think no one is list= ening but they cannot hear if you don't speak.
So speak up and tell t= hem what it is you want to see.
If not for yourself then do it for yo= ur children.
 
htt= p://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/menshealth_ctte/index.htm
&nb= sp;
The 'dads in distress' organisation will close by the end of June = unless someone comes to our rescue. There will need to be someone else hold= ing the men up, keeping them alive, while we await the decis= ion makers.
Sad times we live in . . .
 
Tony Miller =
Founder
Dads in Distress Inc
MOB: 0422105855
BUS: 0266= 528113
C/L : 1300 853437
 
 
=
All You Need is Love
 = ;Why Marriage Matters3D"Family
 
What do we know about t= he importance of marriage for children, for adults and for society? There h= as been a sharp increase over the last two generations in the proportion of= children who do not live with their own two married parents, spurred first= largely by increases in divorce, and more recently by large jumps in unmar= ried or cohabiting childbearing. A vigorous public debate sparked by these = changes in family structure has generated a growing body of social science = literature on the consequences of family fragmentation.  
&= nbsp;
This report is an attempt to summarize this large body of scient= ific research into a succinct form useful to Australians, Americans and oth= ers on all sides of ongoing family debates - to report what we know about t= he importance of marriage in our family and social system.
 
Marriage has changed a great deal over the past two generations, includin= g increased incidence and social acceptance of divorce, cohabitation, prema= rital sex, and unwed childbearing. Other important changes include dramatic= increases in the proportion of working wives, reduced tolerance for domest= ic violence, and a change in gender roles. Over the past 40 years, both men= and women have become increasingly likely to support greater participation= by men in the household and women in the labour force, and less sharp diff= erentiation between women's and men's roles. Yet when it comes to the benef= its of marriage, research shows more impressive evidence of continuity than= change or decline.
 
Social science is better equipped to d= ocument whether certain social facts are true than to say why they are true= . We can assert more definitively that marriage is associated with powerful= social goods than that marriage is the sole or main cause of these goods. =
 
Good research seeks to tease out what scholars call "sele= ction effects," or the pre-existing differences between individuals who dec= ide to divorce, marry, or become unwed parents. Does divorce cause poverty,= for example, or is it simply that poor people are more likely to divorce? = Good social science attempts to distinguish between causal relationships an= d mere correlations in a variety of ways. The studies cited here are for th= e most part based on large, nationally representative samples that control = for race, family background, and other confounding factors. In many, but no= t all cases, social scientists have been able to use longitudinal data to t= rack individuals as they marry, divorce or stay single, increasing our conf= idence that marriage itself matters. Where the evidence is, in our view, ov= erwhelming that marriage causes increases in well-being, we say so. Where m= arriage probably does so but the causal pathways are not as well understood= , we are more cautious.
 
We recognize that, apart from ran= dom assignment to marriage, divorce or single parenting, social scientists = must always acknowledge the possibility that other factors are influencing = outcomes. (For example, relatively few family-structure studies attempt to = assess the role of genetics.) Reasonable scholars may and do disagree on th= e existence and extent of such selection effects and the extent to which ma= rriage is causally related to the better social outcomes reported here.
 
And of course individual circumstances vary.=20
 
1 While divorce is associated with serious increased psych= ological risks for children, for example, the majority of children of divor= ce are not mentally ill.=20
 
2 While marriage is a social good, not all marriages are e= qual. Research does not generally support the idea that remarriage is bette= r for children than living with a single mother.=20
 
3 Marriages that are unhappy do not have the same benefits= as the average marriage.=20
 
4 Divorce or separation provides an important escape hatch= for children and adults in violent or high-conflict marriages. Families, c= ommunities, and policy makers interested in distributing the benefits of ma= rriage more equally must do more than merely discourage legal divorce.
 
Social science is typically better equipped to answer general= questions (Are high rates of divorce and unwed childbearing likely to redu= ce overall child well-being?) than to answer questions facing individual pa= rents (Will my particular children in my particular circumstances be harmed= or helped by divorce?).
 
But we believe good social scien= ce, despite its inherent limitations, is a better guide to social policy th= an uninformed opinion or prejudice. The public and policy makers deserve to= hear what research suggests about the consequences of marriage and its abs= ence for children and adults. This report represents our best judgment of w= hat the current social science evidence reveals about the importance of mar= riage in our social system.
 
Here is our fundamental conclusi= on: Marriage is an important social good, associated with an impressively b= road array of positive outcomes for children and adults alike.
 
Family structure and processes are of course only one factor= contributing to child and social well-being. Our discussion here is not me= ant to minimize the importance of other social and economic factors, such a= s poverty, child support, unemployment, neighbourhood safety, or the qualit= y of education for both parents and children.
 
But whether= our society succeeds or fails in building a healthy marriage culture is cl= early a matter of legitimate public concern.
 
Twenty-One Re= asons Why Marriage Matters =A92004 is a document produced by the National M= arriage Coalition. The full document can be viewed and downloaded at: http://www.fatherhood.org.au/resources_researchPublications.htm= l
  


=09

Special Feature

 3D= 
A Good Men's Health Policy3D"Dog
Intro - Warwick Marsh
 
Greg Andresen's speech, '= A Good Mens Health Policy' was delivered at the Men's Health Roundtable las= t Thursday 5th March 2009 in Sydney's CBD. I was fighting to hold back the = tears as he spoke.
 
The men's movement is in desperate nee= d of men who are prepared to speak up and make a stand for the truth, espec= ially those who will speak with such eloquence and passion.
 Men's Health is not just about doctors and nurses. Men's Health is not j= ust about prevention of disease. Men's Health is about becoming a man: "fin= ding the true man" to quote Dr Elizabeth Celi who was a participant at the = Men's Health Roundtable. Men's Health is about believing enough in your own= voice to speak up on behalf of those who cannot speak. It's about speaking= up for the single dads of Australia like the single father from Melbourne = who was put in goal for 8 days recently. His only crime? He sent a birthday= card to his daughter.
 
Men's Health is about speaking up = on behalf of the thousands of men who commit suicide each year. Most of who= are single dads. Many leave children behind with unanswered questions. Mos= t die without even leaving a note. Men's Health is all about family. It's a= bout being a great dad and a great husband. It's about speaking up on behal= f of the fatherless. It's about friendship and fellowship. It's about compa= ssion and the ability to lend a helping hand in time of need  
&n= bsp;
I believe Greg's words summed up the reasons for the Men's Health= Roundtable. I believe his words summed up what millions of men around Aust= ralia are feeling but are unable to articulate for one reason or another. W= e need to speak up on behalf of these men.
 
I hope and pra= y that the Senate Select Committee inquiry into Mens Health that closes on = the 13th of March 2009 will hear the voice of many men and receive many sub= missions that will highlight the following points.
 
Warwick= Marsh
 
Speech by Greg Andresen Mens Health Network= - given at the Mens Health
Roundtable 5th of March 2009 Sydney CBD 
A good men's health policy would respect and value = the risks that men take in their work, and invest money in excellent o= ccupational health and safety programs so that when men do their work,= their health is put at a little less at risk. It would bring back occ= upational health nurses into large male-dominated workplaces so that m= en could receive health checks and health-promotion messages in a way = that fits with their lives. It would also implement schemes to make ex= isting health services more male-friendly, and address the underfundin= g of research into men's health issues.
 
A good men's = health policy would talk about the devastating effect that unemploymen= t has on men's health and wellbeing. It would be concerned that our fe= minised education system is becoming so unattractive to many boys that= they start to believe that doing well at school is "what girls do" an= d drop out of the system altogether. And if they do drop out, it would= talk about a revitalised apprenticeship system that would steer these= boys into meaningful  employment and out of the dole queues. It would= also introduce schemes to get more male teachers into the classroom f= rom early childhood education right through to high school, and introd= uce modern-day rites-of-passage to guide our boys from boyhood to healthy m= anhood.
 
If many men derive their sense of purpose from wor= king to provide for  the ones they love - their families, children and= communities, a good men's health policy would talk about the devastat= ing effect upon men of relationship breakdown, of having their childre= n taken away from them, of a family court system that they feel is bia= sed against them, and a media that then paints them as "angry disgrunt= led men". It would talk about paid paternity leave and making changes = to workplaces so that it becomes normal for men to take time off work = to care for their families and children, rather than fearing that if t= hey do so they will be persecuted or lose their chances of promotion o= r even lose their job. It would also amend the Sex Discrimination Act = so that men with family responsibilities are covered by it.
 = ;
A good men's health policy would talk about supporting and funding&n= bsp;initiatives such as men's sheds and mentoring programs so that once&nbs= p;men retire, they can maintain their sense of purpose and their sense = ;of community. It would talk about supporting the many older men who a= re full or part-time carers for partners and other family members. It = would talk about supporting and funding Aboriginal men's groups that a= re working to restore the important social roles of Aboriginal men tha= t have been taken away by colonisation and welfare dependency. It woul= d create men's studies programs in our universities so that undergradu= ate students leave university with knowledge about the intimate lives = of men that they can apply when they work with men in their future car= eers. And finally, by doing all of the above and more, a good men's he= alth policy would hopefully reduce the tragically high rates of male s= uicide and alcohol/drug abuse. And who knows, it might also reduce the= levels of violence in the community.
 
Some of you might ha= ve noticed that I haven't talked much here about disease, about prosta= tes and testicles, about medicine, doctors and hospitals. That's becau= se I believe men's health is much much broader than that. It is about = creating social environments which give men and boys a sense of purpos= e, of being valued and loved, of being supported, of being part of a c= ommunity. These are the social determinants of HEALTH. A men's health = policy that ignores the reality of men's lives and the roles that they= play, is bound to fail.
 
Greg Andresen, 2009<= /div>
News & Info
=
 
3D"NewsInfo"3D"Man
ATTEMPTS to educate "mum and dad" investors about investment and super= annuation decisions could be a waste of time, according to Superannuation M= inister Nick Sherry 
 

Men's Health Roundtable
<= /font>Sydney 5th March 2009
 
The Fatherhood Foundation was = privileged to work with other men's groups to convene a National Men's Heal= th Roundtable on Thursday 5th March 2009. The purpose of the National Men's= Health Roundtable was to help the current chairman of the Senate Select Co= mmittee into Men's Health Cory Bernardi, to hear directly from leaders in t= he men and father's movement and what they wanted to see included in a Nati= onal Men's Health Policy.
       &n= bsp;            = ;   
Greg Andresen, whose speech is in Special Feature= , excelled as usual. Aboriginal Men's Health Leader Rick Welsh, spoke about= the ignominy of being cut off from his children by an anti-male court syst= em. Tony Miller, the founder of Dads in Distress, shared with the Senator t= he sad story that dads in distress is about to be defunded come 30th June.&= nbsp; In the light of a National Men's Health Policy, this is a national di= sgrace. Peter Sergeant, CEO Men's Sheds, shared about the important contrib= ution Men's Sheds are making to men's health. Dr Elizabeth Celi, a men's he= alth advocate from Victoria and Professor John Macdonald, University of Wes= tern Sydney, gave passionate and meaningful presentations along with many o= ther leaders representing the men and father's movement.
 
W= e encourage our readers to get a submission in to the Senate Select Committ= ee Inquiry into Men's Health.  The Fatherhood Foundation has proposed = that we need an 'Office for the Status of Men & Fathers' or a 'Ministry for= Men & Fathers' to be established and to be accountable to the Prime Minist= er's department.
 
URGENT - Get yo= ur Men's Health Submission in!
 
Two line, t= wo paragraphs or two pages.
The committee is to report by 30 M= ay 2009.
Submissions are due by new closing date 13t= h March 2009 and may be submitted online or emailed to menshealth.sen@aph.gov.= au . 
For further information see - 
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/menshealth_ctte/tor.= htm
or phone (02) 6277 3559
 
Proposal by Fatherhood Foundation to the Federal Government
 
That an 'Office for the Status of Men & Fa= thers or a Ministry for Men and Fathers' be established and be accountable = to the Prime Minister's Department.
 
This is the f= irst point of The 12Pt Plan - Fathers in Families document, which some in t= his room helped formulate in 2003. Little has changed in 6 years:
&nbs= p;
1. Cultural discrimination against men and fathers continues.
= 2. Governmental discrimination against men and fathers continues.
3. M= onetary discrimination against men and fathers continues.
4. Medical d= iscrimination against men and fathers continues.
5. Political discrimi= nation against men and fathers continues.
 
Specific= Proposal:
 
To establish an 'Office for the Status= of Men and Fathers' with a 3 year term with a maximum 3 year extension cla= use and a 3 + 3 year sunset clause to avoid bureaucratic entrenchment. The = purpose of the Office is to work together with other government departments= to release funds to promote men's health, conduct research projects, estab= lish preventative strategies, establish holistic training and education for= men, boys and fathers with an aim to support families and work towards the= greater good of the men, women and children of Australia.
 
The Fatherhood Foundation would like to thank all those within the men and= father's movement who made the National Men's Health Roundtable a great su= ccess and encourage our readers to email Senator Cory Bernardi to thank him= for his interest in men's health and to encourage him to continue to guide= the inquiry into tackling the issues that affect men's health in the broad= er perspective: Senator.Bernardi@aph.gov.au
 
Letters
 
Dear Fathe= rhood Foundation
 
Well done!
 
Your most rec= ent newsletter was very touching. Your enclosed story written by the child = of a couple who got divorced was moving. It highlighted to me the importanc= e of maintaining a healthy marriage and promoting the welfare of my childre= n
 
Gareth
_______________________
 
Dea= r Fatherhood Foundation
 
The Victorian State government is = running ads on Melbourne radio.
The substance of the ads are as follow= s:
 
1. Domestic violence now includes mental violence such = as withholding money.
 
2. If you've had money withheld, thi= s now constitutes violence in the state of Victoria.
 
3. Ca= ll the police
 
4. You can request the offender can be remov= ed from the family home.
 
True!  I nearly fell off my = chair when the ad aired over and over one evening.
What is going on? H= ow did these laws get introduced by the Law Reform Commission, let alone pa= ssed?
 
Think of the implications of these ads. Think of the= negative messages they send to already distressed and fractured families.&= nbsp;
 
Moreover, the community does not need these sorts of= ads as we slip into the worst economic crisis since the 1930's depression.=  
 
Have the feminists totally taken over Victoria?
 
Victor 
 
<= /div>

Dad's Prayer

3D"DadsPraye= 
3D"Man
Dear God
 
Give me eyes to see,
and a heart to und= erstand
that every breath comes from you.
My body is the temple o= f your Holy Spirit,
and it is up to me to keep the temple tidy.
I= t is up to me to eat the right food,
and lay down the remote control,<= br />and take time to work, rest and play:
To rejuvenate my spirit
To be filled with your Spirit
To enjoy the cathedral of your creatio= n
So that I can give You to others.
 
 
=09
=09
Help Us!

3D"HelpUs"= The Fatherhood Foundation is a Harm Prevention Charity.
Fatherles= sness and inadequate fathering has been proven to be a source of harm.= The Fatherhood Foundation helps children by promoting excellence  in = fathering. Excellent fathers are in word and deed: responsible, involved, p= rotective, loving and committed to the well-being of their children and the= ir children's mother.

 

If you would like to give financially t= o the Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund and receive tax deductibility:

 

Fatherhood Found= ation Public Fund
(Name, address and amount details must be = emailed for a receipt for tax deductibility)

 Westpac Branch Wollongong      &nb= sp;            =   = DONATE ONLINE

BSB: 032 695
A/C: 25-5558
 

Or mail cheque and address details to:<= br />PO Box 542
UNANDERRA  NSW&nbs= p; 2526
AUSTRALIA

 

The Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund&n= bsp; is a public fund listed on the Register of Harm Prevention Charities u= nder Subdivision 30_EA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.=

 

You have received the fatherson= line.org newsletter because you have subscribed, or you have been = subscribed by a friend.  If you do not wish to receive future emails, = please click the UNSUBSCRIBE button below.

=09
=09
=09
3D"Safe
This email was sent to blane@uow.edu.au by in= fo@fathersonline.org.
Fatherhood Foundati= on | P.O. Box 542 | Unanderra | NSW | 2526 | Australia
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