David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I participated in a 142-kilometre walk around Canberra over five days with an amazing group of Canberrans to raise awareness about and support Menslink, a great Canberra organisation helping young guys going through challenging times through free counselling, volunteer mentoring and education programs. Over 20 years they have helped thousands of boys and young men through tough or lonely times.

Thank you to the Menslink crew that organised and ran the walk alongside their day-to-day work with Menslink—particularly Ben, Des, Jim, Cookie, Andy, Dave and Will—and to the program participants, who talked honestly about the difference that Menslink has made to their families' lives. And thank you to our walkers: Laura, Paul, Michael, Sarah D'Arcy, Hugo, Julie, Catherine, Ben Grady, Lucie, Bjarne, Chris, Trina, Tim, Renee, Nick, Sarah Hardie, Jeremy, Pete Russell, Jack, Steph, Kim, Pete Whowell and the one and only Todd Wright.

The quality of our conversations and understanding the contribution you all make to our community made the physical and mental challenge of the walk so much easier and fulfilling. You can still contribute to the Menslink Great Walk until early December. Every contribution goes a long way.