During NAIDOC week we, together, celebrated the First Nations people who have shared and nurtured this continent for over 65,000 years. NAIDOC week was a fitting week to officially launch, on Tuesday 10 November, the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing - Northern Territory Division at the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin.
Jahdai Vigona, Indigenous Trainee of the FCMHW - NT Division (Tiwi Islands & Darwin), was MC for the launch and spoke about what NAIDOC week means to him and why it is important to all Australians.
“From saltwater people to freshwater people, to Indigenous people to non-Indigenous people, NAIDOC week brings us all closer together to celebrate this beautiful country that we all share and live together on to build a bigger and brighter future for many generations to come.”
Mr Koolpinya Richard Barnes, Larrakia Elder and Past Master of Lodge Foelsche, Darwin, gave the Welcome to Country. In his story telling, he provided the 120+ guests great insights into the Indigenous Australian history of the land on which the event was launch.
Following, Robert Clyne OAM OS PAGM, the person most suitably placed to do so, described the long history of the Centre from its early beginnings in the early 2000s and its remarkable evolution.
Grand Master of Freemasons of SA/NT, and Chairman of the Board of the FCMHW Ltd Dr Neil Jensen then addressed the audience to talk about the importance that benevolence plays in Freemasonry, to help mankind. He noted his relevant experience in the top end as a rural GP, and described the mission of the Masonic Charities and the Centre and described the pride Freemasons SA/NT have in what they have achieved through their support of, and partnership in the Centre.
Professor Gary Wittert, Director of the FCMHW SA Division, officially welcomed the NT Division into the Centre and highlighted how the programs and expertise of the SA and NT Divisions complement and extend the capacity of the Centre which will translate into impact.
Professor James Smith, the Director of the NT Division based at Menzies but with strong partnerships with Charles Darwin University and many stakeholder organisations, spoke about the NT program and its progress in 2020. The program focuses on Indigenous male health, boys and young men’s health, fathering and fatherhood, social and emotional wellbeing, and equity and action on the social determinants of health.
The official part of the launch concluded with Professor Alan Cass, Director, Menzies School of Health Research speaking to why FCMHW is so important for men’s health in Australia. He emphasised that this is not just about scholarly output but rather the immense potential for real world impact.
We thank Morgan Stanley Australia for its generous sponsorship of this event.