It is really a big shame that there has not been a concentrated effort, to reduce all forms of violence, not just violence against women. We don't tolerate violence against women, so why should we tolerate violence against men.

Even violence that does not result in death, but acquired brain injury can leave the victim physical and mentally disabled. With the associated consequences.

Rudd has nothing to be congratulated for in this, he's just engaging in some cheap grandstanding. Once we confront inequality, and the fact that him and his state mates have actively fostered a motoring culture at the expense of public transport [and likely more physical activity] then we will actually start achieving something. Hundreds of kilometres of new urban freeways and bypasses nationally and dozens of broken mass transit promises. Its not the well-off who are the sickest these days in case you haven't really noticed, its the poorest who are usually the sickest.

What good is the Ministers form if we fill it in... and then we have to post it to the department?

We are here now.

Its poor government and half-hearted in the very least.

If we want a healthier, stronger nation we have to overcome the spiritual weaknesses in the men.

Modern youth wanders like greedy children occupied with self and all the pleasures.
I read a story some years ago by a lady reporter and she was saying that she really believed that the last of the REAL men were those who fought in WW2.

She was so entirely right.

The men have gone pansy and all the while China and Indonesia build their military forces.

Lets concentrate on strengthening their morality and their spiritual strength (a good,long dose of the Holy Bible) and lets stop worrying about their bodily functions...their prostates and their sex life.

In a few years they will be under greater threat than that.

Gibo, matters of health need a science and evidence-based approach. Apart from the need to eat healthy, increase physical activity, cease smoking and reduce alcohol consumption, evidence also links inequality to poor health outcomes.

We do not need supernatural belief or superstition to make people well, its not proven to work. My family's religious and it doesn't make them kind, generous or merciful (christians claim that they have god's love and god is merciful bla blah etc).

Transsexual.

Supernatural belief works for me.

Im better off as a born again christian than a non-believer.

Longterm unemployed, suicidal and drinking frequently... Jesus saved me right out of that:)

Ive never been morally stronger since I taken on His Grace in personal commitment and adopted His Bible as my stardard.

Good gracious Mr West, you had to work hard to get that bitch swipe in against four wheel drives!

We have a LandCruiser turbo diesel. It has the same footprint on the road as a Falcon sedan and uses less fuel than the most Commodores on the road and certainly much less than the large sedans given to senior public servants as part of their packages or used to ferry politicians.

It is also environmentally responsible to drive a turbo diesel, which is economical and produces far less noxious gases than petrol engines.

We bought the LandCruiser because with three teens, the poorly designed rear seat and tail shaft hump of the 'Aussie' sedans made traveling intolerable for the rear seat passengers. Why don't you clamber into the middle position of the second seat of a Falcon or Commodore and try it for yourself. It is a good bet you wouldn't last ten kms without the most awful cramps. Try the driving seat of a Falcon - which has excruciating and impossible ergonomics for a taller driver. The other reasons for a LandCruiser included recreational pursuits and carrying a family's luggage.

After reading your snipe at four wheel drives - a good example of playing to the latte-sipping chatterati - it came as no surprise that the remainder of what you had to say was just as superficial and populist. Now that is a real shame, but it is probably in keeping with the Labor government's attitude to men.

However you were right to say that (the great majority of) women respect and care for their menfolk. Most women are wondering, as are men, why the policy is restricted to health and why a man like Jeff Kennett wasn't chosen to head it.