Tuesday, 18 November 2025

 Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (13:41): I rise to talk about a book that was launched last week in Beaufort, which is my electorate. It is called The Weight of Men, and I want to read from this document. It is really a beautiful book which shows the stories of a lot of men in rural communities, particularly in Beaufort, and it talks about not just the photography of who they are but their life stories as well. Dean Morris, who is the author and put the book together, made some remarkable comments that I want to read out to the house. He said that:

This project began as a simple idea. My first thought was only to take portraits, to capture the faces of men in our community and show them in a small local exhibition. I wanted to record the character that is often written in a person’s face, the lines that tell of years of work, laughter, and experience. It felt like a worthwhile project, but still a modest one.

It was the community that suggested something more. People began to say, “You should write down their stories as well.” At first, I hesitated. Taking a photograph is one thing, but asking men to open up and share their lives felt much bigger.

I want to commend the Beaufort community for coming up with this, and over $13,000 has been raised for the local men’s shed. I am assured that in the months and maybe even year ahead that there is going to be a women’s book as well, which will equally promote up to 200 local women. The aim is to target $20,000 for the CWA. Thank you and well done.