Hon Kevin Rudd, MHR
Prime Minister
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Mr Rudd

Warwick Marsh

I and many others have been deeply shocked by the injustice done to a respected, compassionate Australian by a
minister in your government.

On 25 November 2008, Minister for Health Nicola Roxon announced the appointment of several “men’s health ambassadors … to help engage the men of Australia … to start talking – to help (the government) develop Australia’s first ever National Men’s Health Policy”.

Mr Warwick Marsh, President of the Fatherhood Foundation, was one of six men appointed to this important role. Mr Marsh is well known for his long record in civic service, including his hands-on, sacrificial mentoring of wounded men from all backgrounds. For example, Warwick and his wife Alison have welcomed into their home a young HIV positive man who needed shelter and unconditional love. He had come from a broken home, was sexually abused by older men, and had worked the Darlinghurst Wall.

Whatever “homophobic” means, it does not describe Warwick – who invited a Sydney mayor, a homosexual man, to present awards to men who had completed Warwick’s fatherhood course. In 2005 at a public function in Parliament House Canberra, Warwick presented a special award to a Melbourne lesbian who had the courage to campaign against trafficking in women who are being exploited by the male-driven prostitution trade.

Warwick says: “Unfortunately, some men are still bastards.” Through the Fatherhood Foundation which he leads, he is trying to turn that around. Yet on 27 November 2008 Minister Roxon withdrew his appointment as ambassador for men’s health on the sole basis that Mr Marsh stood by the views expressed in the booklet 21 Reasons Why Gender Matters.

This booklet was officially launched at the National Strategic Summit on Marriage, Family and Fatherhood held at Parliament House on 18th September 2007. This Summit was addressed by Senator Joe Ludwig. The booklet was distributed to all members and senators. 21 Reasons Why Gender Matters is backed by sound research – its 22 pages include 178 footnotes, many to peer-reviewed articles in academic journals.

It is quite extraordinary that a minister in your government would withdraw the appointment of a respected promoter of men’s well-being simply because he holds evidence-based views which are at odds with those of the homosexual lobby. This action suggests that your government now considers support for the full claims of the homosexual lobby as a litmus test for holding any public office.

You could demonstrate that this is NOT the case by reinstating Mr Marsh as a men’s health ambassador and by removing Ms Roxon as Minister for Health. I urge you to do so, and look forward to your early response.

Yours sincerely,

Dr David Phillips
National President

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