Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, , 2:56:31 to 3:01:53
Inquiry into the lack of funding for men's health peak bodies in the latest grant round and concerns over representation for 50% of the population.
Topics: Health, Government spending, Grants administration
Speakers: Speaker 30, Dr Liz Develin, Hon Jenny McAllister, Unknown Speaker
Thank you, Chair. Um I've got some questions around funding for um health bodies. Peak health bodies. So I want to discuss the funding arrangements for men's health. Previously, under round three funding, the Australian Men's Health Forum received funding through the Health Peak and Advisory Bodies Program. There were 21 peak bodies that received funding under round three, but under round four, uh running from 27 2027 to 2030, only 12 peak bodies are being funded. The Australian Men's Health Forum has not received funding under round four. In fact, no men's health peak body has received funding. Um of the ones that were funded were the LGBTIQ plus Health Australia, Multicultural Centre for Women's Health, the Social Policy Group, and I've got no issue with funding all the different entities, but there's nothing specifically for men's health, despite the government appointing a special envoy for men and boys. So what criteria did the department apply in round four to decide which population-specific peak um bodies would be funded? And why wasn't a new women's health peak body funded while no peak men's uh peak body funding?
Thank you, Senator. So the Health Peak advisory body was a competitive grants process. Uh the applicants needed to demonstrate sort of very much a national level peak status. There was not a criteria considering uh the gender of the community or the peak body that they uh aim to serve. So there wasn't a stream for women's health, there wasn't a stream for men's health, it was a broad call for peak bodies.
So there's no women's peak body being funded.
Senator, I I believe that you have the fund people who have been funded in front of you, and I believe you just said that one of the women's health and multicultural health were funded. As I said, this was a competitive process, and if men's health applied, then they obviously were not demonstrated to be as competitive as the other applicants. I do appreciate it was an incredibly oversubscribed programme, and so no doubt the assessment panel had to make difficult decisions.
So who's representing men?
Senator, it appears to me that men's health is absolutely representing men. They have just been unsuccessful in one small funding program.
They're the peak body, I don't. Can you explain to me who is representing men at a peak body level?
Senator, there are a range of peak bodies who continue to serve their communities well. They may not have been funded through this programme, which is a very modest health peak bodies advisory programme. There are numerous peaks that are not funded through that program as well, in addition to obviously men's health were unable to secure funding through that.
But come the 1st of July 27, they they won't be representing it.
Senator, that is not the way the government receives representation. That is a funding program to peak bodies. The government continues to work with a range of peaks, whether we fund them or not. We continue to engage them through stakeholder engagement, we receive their submissions, and we are open to meet. With stakeholder and representative groups whenever they wish.
Yeah, my point is they they won't be around to meet with us past the first of July. So I don't know who you're going to be meeting with smaller fragmented bodies that don't represent as a peak body. Yeah, I think you're understanding my line of questioning and you know from following on from the questions last night. Men are feeling pretty underrepresented at the moment. I don't think it's a big ask to ask for a seat at the table. We're not trying to exclude anybody else, but it's 50% of the population. And we're not feeling the love. And that is that is a message I am hearing loud and clear from the community. So do with that what you will, but I'm I'll leave it at that. Thank you, Chair.
Senator. Thanks for the feedback. And I think the government understands very clearly the need to make sure that all Australians have access to the health services that they need and feel heard, both in the political system, but also in the health in the health services that they visit and attend. It is why our government has appointed, as you know, Mr. Repper Coley to work on these issues, and you'll probably understand that Mr. Reppercoli engages deeply with a range of representative organisations. We do expect that the health services that we fund and our broad investments in the health system do provide access to the necessary health resources that all Australians require and that of course includes Australian members.
Yeah, I'm not specifically saying men aren't getting access, but they're not getting representation. That's what I'm saying. Thanks, Chair.