❓ Ms. Davies questions the Minister for Mental Health about funding cuts to Men's Sheds, highlighting their importance for men's mental health. The Minister acknowledges the issue, citing unsustainable funding models and federal government responsibility, while committing to finding a sustainable solution.
AnsweredQoN 736Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MEN'S SHEDS OF
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
736. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Mental Health:
I refer to Men's Sheds of Western
Australia, an organisation that oversees about 180 individual shed committees,
including around 125 in regional WA.
(1) Does the
minister agree that the network of men's sheds provide a vital service
for men throughout the state, particularly those who may be living with mental
illness, isolation and lack of family support?
(2) Is the
minister aware that the organisation is struggling to survive as a result of
short-term funding contracts from other government departments?
(3) Why has the minister's
department slashed funding for this important community organisation?
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
736. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Mental Health:
I refer to Men's Sheds of Western
Australia, an organisation that oversees about 180 individual shed committees,
including around 125 in regional WA.
(1) Does the
minister agree that the network of men's sheds provide a vital service
for men throughout the state, particularly those who may be living with mental
illness, isolation and lack of family support?
(2) Is the
minister aware that the organisation is struggling to survive as a result of
short-term funding contracts from other government departments?
(3) Why has the minister's
department slashed funding for this important community organisation?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I
thank the member for the question. Men's sheds are an important
initiative in the community as part of an overall suite of initiatives around
preventive mental health services. There was some one-off funding for men's
sheds that I understand will soon be coming to an end. It mirrors the one-off
funding that has been cut by the federal government. I understand and accept
that at the moment there is not a good funding arrangement for them. The member
is right: a whole bunch of departments and a whole bunch of different
governments have kicked in. Part of the problem is the men's shed
organisation itself. Nationally, it has kicked out every state branch from the
organisation. As an organisation itself, there is a lot of instability at the
moment. I am certainly working closely with them. I know my colleagues are
working with them to see what the way forward is. It was set up in a manner
that was not sustainable and from that perspective it is not surprising we now
see this instability in its overall funding.
The federal government certainly has
a role to play. It has funded them quite generously in the eastern states. The
federal government has an important role to step up and make sure there is a sustainable
future for men's sheds. The member for Kwinana and I used to have one
in our area. Again, it was part-funded from the private sector, the Salvation
Army had a role, it was part-funded by local government and I think it received
some state government funding as well. It is not a great situation. I am
determined to continue to work with all stakeholders to make sure we have a sustainable
future. I should add that we are 18 months into our term and this is another
one of those issues one comes across where one thinks that, surely, there was a
longer-term arrangement in place. Sadly, that was not the case. We are
continuing to work with all parties to make sure there is a bright and
sustainable future for men's sheds.
thank the member for the question. Men's sheds are an important
initiative in the community as part of an overall suite of initiatives around
preventive mental health services. There was some one-off funding for men's
sheds that I understand will soon be coming to an end. It mirrors the one-off
funding that has been cut by the federal government. I understand and accept
that at the moment there is not a good funding arrangement for them. The member
is right: a whole bunch of departments and a whole bunch of different
governments have kicked in. Part of the problem is the men's shed
organisation itself. Nationally, it has kicked out every state branch from the
organisation. As an organisation itself, there is a lot of instability at the
moment. I am certainly working closely with them. I know my colleagues are
working with them to see what the way forward is. It was set up in a manner
that was not sustainable and from that perspective it is not surprising we now
see this instability in its overall funding.
The federal government certainly has
a role to play. It has funded them quite generously in the eastern states. The
federal government has an important role to step up and make sure there is a sustainable
future for men's sheds. The member for Kwinana and I used to have one
in our area. Again, it was part-funded from the private sector, the Salvation
Army had a role, it was part-funded by local government and I think it received
some state government funding as well. It is not a great situation. I am
determined to continue to work with all stakeholders to make sure we have a sustainable
future. I should add that we are 18 months into our term and this is another
one of those issues one comes across where one thinks that, surely, there was a
longer-term arrangement in place. Sadly, that was not the case. We are
continuing to work with all parties to make sure there is a bright and
sustainable future for men's sheds.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.