Key Messages
- Six local members of parliament will assist the WA Centre for Rural Health with sponsoring their Men Against Violence round of the GNFL and GNWFL to be played on the 25th May 2019 in Mullewa and Geraldton.
- Bi-partisan support for the Men Against Violence football round saw political members coming together from the Liberal, Labor and Nationals party.
- As a show of support, the politicians met for a photo on the steps of Parliament House with Luke from the WA Centre for Rural Health and Adrian from Geraldton Sporting Aboriginal Corporation.
- The Men Against Violence program run by the WA Centre for Rural Health in partnership with the Geraldton Sporting Aboriginal Corporation aims at targeting young men through sports clubs to educate and promote how they can prevent family violence and increase gender equality.
Six local politicians have shown their support to end family violence. They want to make a statement about this and are supporting the upcoming ‘Men Against Violence’ round of the Great Northern Football League being played on Saturday the 25th of May in Mullewa and Geraldton.
Round 6 of the GNFL and round 5 of the GNWFL will be the ‘Men Against Violence’ round to promote the message that violence is never okay and educate young men how they can play a role in preventing family violence.
Local politicians Ian Blayney, Darren West, Laurie Graham, Martin Aldridge, Colin de Grussa and Shane Love are strongly supporting this round and it’s message to say “Violence is never ok”.
The politicians have shown bi-partisan support bridging the divide across multiple political parties - Liberals, Labor and National Party - to assist the WA Centre for Rural Health and the Geraldton Sporting Aboriginal Corporation with funding towards the Men Against Violence GNFL round.
As an additional show of support, they met with WA Centre for Rural Health Research Officer Luke Ringin and Geraldton Sporting Aboriginal Corporation Executive Officer Adrian Bartlett for a photo on the steps of Parliament House.
“I am happy to join with the other State MPs who have an office in Geraldton to sponsor a round of the GNFL to promote ‘Men against domestic violence’,” says Ian Blayney MLA.
“I am proud to stand with my parliamentary colleagues as we work to end domestic violence in our community,” says Darren West MLC.
“We must do more to stamp out the scourge of domestic violence and I applaud the efforts of Community, Respect & Equality to make a difference in our community,” says Laurie Graham MLC.
“I'm proud to stand with the GNFL, the WA Centre for Rural Health and my parliamentary colleagues Martin Aldridge, Darren West, Ian Blayney and Laurie Graham as Men Against Violence,” says Colin de Grussa MLC.
“It is important that as men we talk to our brother, our sons, fathers and uncles to make sure we get the message across that violence is never ok,” says Martin Aldridge MLC.
“As a community we need to work together to address the scourge of family and domestic violence that has so many serious impacts on the lives of people in our region. I’m proud to stand united with my parliamentary colleagues to strengthen efforts to prevent family violence,” says Shane Love MLA.
Director of the WA Centre for Rural Health Professor Sandra Thompson said: “We are pleased to have the support of local high profile men stepping up and telling other men that we can do more to stop family violence.”
The Men Against Violence program is run by the WA Centre for Rural Health in partnership with the Geraldton Sporting Aboriginal Corporation with the aim of targeting young men through sports clubs to educate and promote how they can reduce family violence and increase gender equality.
If you are a member of a Midwest sport club interested in being involved in this program, call Luke Ringin on 9956 0200 or email luke.ringin@uwa.edu.au.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
Media contact: Mia Jeffrey, Marketing and Communications Officer - (08) 9956 0225 - Mia.Jeffrey@uwa.edu.au