Southern Metropolitan Region
Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (12:49): (429) My question is for the Minister for Health. Can the minister please provide an update on how the Labor government is supporting the growth and expansion of Dads Group in the Southern Metropolitan Region? Recently, along with Mr Berger, I met with Alex, Tom and Andrew, who were representatives from Dads Group. It is a community-run organisation that supports new fathers and families by connecting them with programs across the community. They recently set up in Stonnington and are seeking to expand further south into Bayside. They meet up with other dads in local cafes and parks with their kids, establishing healthy social connections where they can share, they can talk, they can learn and they can support each other. It is a place where dads can ask each other questions that they may not feel like they can ask anywhere else. We know that for fathers and for parents the chance to connect with others in a supportive environment is an incredibly important part of promoting healthy parenting. It was great to hear from them about the important role that Dads Group has played in the early part of their journey as parents, and I cannot wait to see these sorts of groups continue to grow and thrive right across Southern Metropolitan.