Tyron Whitten (WA, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently I had the privilege of visiting the Subiaco Community Men's Shed in Western Australia. I want to take a few minutes to talk today about what I saw, what I heard and, more importantly, what I felt. The Men's Shed is not just a place where men get together and build things out of wood; it's a place men come together to rebuild themselves. The Subiaco Men's Shed is part of a wider network of sheds across the country. These spaces make look like workshops with sawdust on the floor and the hum of power tools in the background, but in truth they are something much deeper. They are safe, supportive, life-changing community hubs.

The men I met come from all walks of life. The sheds have members aged from 18-year-old apprentices to veterans to retirees who have hung up their work boots but not their desire to contribute. What unites them is their shared need for connection, meaning and mental wellbeing. We talk a lot in this place about mental health, and rightly so. We pass legislation, we fund services, we launch initiatives. But sometimes the most effective solutions are the simplest ones: a place to go, something to do, someone to talk to. That is exactly what the Subiaco Community Men's Shed offers. There's no appointment needed and no judgement, just community.

At a time when so many men, particularly older men, are at risk of isolation and depression and are feeling a loss of purpose, that kind of space can be a lifesaving place. I spoke with one gentleman who told me quite openly that after retiring he didn't know what to do with himself. His sense of identity, his routine and his social circle were all gone in a flash. It was the shed that gave him structure, gave him mateship again, gave him purpose again and that, after he went through some pretty dark days, saved his life. This is not an isolated story. It's a story repeated in communities across the country.

Let me be clear. This is not a hobby club. This is a grassroots, evidence backed mental health initiative—one that happens to involve woodwork, yes, but it's grounded in wellbeing, connection and service. In fact, many men's sheds actively contribute to their local communities—restoring park benches, making toys for children's hospitals, fixing bikes and mentoring youth. They give back while they heal. That is the beauty of it. But, like so many grassroots programs, the Subiaco men's shed and others like it rely on ongoing support. They need funding for tools, rent and insurance. They need recognition for what they do. It's not a 'nice to have' but a vital part of the health and social fabric of the community.

Today I urge this parliament. Let us not underestimate the power of connection. Let us continue to support initiatives that reach people where they are, not in sterile offices or waiting rooms but in places that feel like home. Let us recognise that wellbeing is not only clinical but also social, emotional and deeply human. The Subiaco men's shed reminded me that sometimes the best therapy is not found in talking about problems but in working shoulder to shoulder, creating something, laughing, being seen and having a purpose. Let's keep backing that. Let's keep backing them.