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Hunter MP Dan Repacholi with TradeMutt co-founders Dan Allen and Ed Ross. Image: Supplied<\/p>\nWhen Hunter MP Dan Repacholi strode into Parliament this week, he wasn\u2019t wearing the usual navy or black suit.<\/p>\n
Instead, he delivered a speech in a loud, vividly patterned TradeMutt ensemble.<\/p>\n
The federal member, who\u2019s also the Special Envoy for Men\u2019s Health, said it was a deliberate move to spark exactly the kind of conversation many Australian men still struggle to have.<\/p>\n
Mr Repacholi partnered with TradeMutt co-founders Dan Allen and Ed Ross, too, to use the eye-catching outfit to highlight the subject on a national stage.<\/p>\n
Hunter MP Dan Repacholi with TradeMutt co-founders Dan Allen and Ed Ross. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n
The custom design is part of the organisation\u2019s ongoing mission to break down stigma and create approachable pathways for men to reach out.<\/p>\n
The suit also drew attention to This Is A Conversation Starter (TIACS), a not-for-profit counselling service established by Mr Allen and Mr Ross after losing a close friend to suicide.<\/p>\n
TIACS provides free mental health support to tradies, apprentices, truck drivers, farmers, miners, hospitality workers and \u201canyone doing it tough\u201d.<\/p>\n
The service has no wait times and doesn\u2019t require a referral.<\/p>\n
Mr Repacholi said wearing the suit in Parliament was about sending a message that help-seeking should feel normal, not shameful.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve donned this because too many blokes are still doing it tough in silence,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf a bright outfit gets one man talking or one mate checking in, it\u2019s worth every bit of attention.<\/p>\n
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Hunter MP Dan Repacholi. Image: Supplied<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter missing the Olympic teams in 2000 and 2024, I struggled massively with my confidence and mental health.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I know how hard it is to reach out, which is why services like TIACS are so important.<\/p>\n
\u201cTalking isn\u2019t weakness, it\u2019s strength.<\/p>\n
\u201cTIACS makes it simple for men to pick up the phone or send a text when they need it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we want to stop losing seven males a day to suicide, we need to make conversations about mental health as normal as talking about footy or work.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time a bloke reaches out, it\u2019s not just him who benefits, it strengthens families, workplaces and whole communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organisation has already staged more than 50,000 conversations, often occurring on worksites, utes, sheds or homes, across the country.<\/p>\n
Mr Allen welcomed the opportunity to highlight the partnership and the impact of TIACS throughout Australia\u2019s blue-collar workforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cEd and I are incredibly proud to have built a model that is meeting workers needs head on, but there are still so many more out there who are struggling in silence that deserve to be supported,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTradies, truckies and farmers are the cornerstone of this country.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, even the hardest workers deserve the best support when times get tough.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope Dan\u2019s stance can be a catalyst for further assistance for one of Australia\u2019s most important sectors.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more news stories: <\/p>\n