Murrumbidgee Men’s Group founder Rhys Cummins has backed the Wagga Women’s Health Centre’s calls for the State Government to reinstate its funding. Photo: Supplied.
Leaders and supporters in providing support for men’s mental health in the Riveirna have thrown their weight behind the Wagga Women’s Health Centre’s push to regain funding stripped away by the NSW Government.
The Women’s Health Centre was informed earlier this month that, come 31 August, it will have all of its $600,000 worth of primary prevention funding cut.
The move shocked and rallied residents from around the region, with many sending their support to the centre and writing to the NSW Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Women Jodie Harrison.
Among the supporters are Rhys Cummins and Bernard Higgins, two major advocates pushing for the establishment of a Men’s Health Centre in Wagga Wagga.
Addressing a crowd of people protesting against the funding cut last week, Mr Cummins, who founded the Murrumbidgee Men’s Group, spoke to the importance of the WWHC’s primary prevention initiatives and the education it provided to women and men alike.
“The WWHC have run some incredibly effective programs and advocated and supported the women of our community as well,” he said.
“What they’ve done over the past however many years is they’ve created an amazing change in our community and made some fantastic inroads in regards to domestic violence.”
A big crowd gathered outside the Wagga Women’s Health Centre last week to protest against the recent $600,000 funding cut to the group. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Mr Cummins described the funding cut as a “huge kick in the guts” for Wagga.
“It’s extremely important for the government to reconsider their stance on this and acknowledge the great work they [WWHC] have done in our community.”
Men’s Consultative Group co-chair Bernard Higgins shared Mr Cummins’ sentiment, highlighting the importance of WWHC’s programming.
“Last year, we had about 100 leaders in the community, and it was from all spectrums of the community, coming together to address the plague of domestic violence,” Mr Higgins said.
“You look around that room and there were people like [federal MP] Michael McCormack and [Wagga Wagga Mayor] Dallas Tout. It was bipartisan and it wasn’t political.
“We knew that violence was a serious issue, and it couldn’t just always be the women doing all the work.
“The Women’s Health Centre did amazing work to get that forum running, so when I saw that they weren’t going to be getting funding, I was shocked and disappointed.
“Men need to walk hand-in-hand with women to address this issue; everyone except the State Government seems to think so. Their actions speak volumes.
“They’ve basically said, ‘Nope, it doesn’t seem like an issue’, and the men and women of Wagga deserve to know why it is.”
