Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In March last year I was pleased to announce $20,000 through our government's Stronger Communities fund for the Berri Church of Christ to support the establishment of a men's shed for the local community. On Sunday that men's shed was officially opened. The Men's Sheds movement is a great Australian success story that has seen a staple of the Australian backyard evolve into a vital component of communities all around Australia and indeed the world. Men's sheds are at the centre of so many communities across Barker, and I'm so pleased that we can now add Berri to the growing list of sheds. In fact, I'm a member of all 25 men's sheds in Barker, and I enjoy dropping in when I can to have a cuppa and to catch up with the shedders. They have formed integral parts of their respective communities.

Good mental health is based on a number of factors, including feeling good about yourself, feeling productive and valued by your community, connecting with friends and maintaining an active body and an active mind. Becoming a member of a men's shed gives a man that safe and busy environment where he can find many of these things in an atmosphere of good old-fashioned mateship.

I wish the members of the Berri community men's shed every success. While I couldn't be there on Sunday to celebrate this milestone, I look forward to dropping in on them now at their new Berri men's shed very soon.