Parramatta Council debates celebrating International Men’s Day

A councillor’s suggestion to celebrate men’s day in the same ilk as International Women’s Day failed to win support from her colleagues, including a male councillor.

Michelle Garrard wants Parramatta Council to celebrate International Men’s Day the same as International Women’s Day. Picture: John Appleyard

A Parramatta councillor’s suggestion to celebrate men’s day in the same ilk as women’s day failed to win support from her colleagues, including a male councillor who labelled it absurd.

Our Local Community councillor Michelle Garrard made the suggestion for Parramatta Council to throw equal importance on International Men’s Day activities on November 19 as it did for International Women’s Day in March.

“I believe that we should all be celebrated equally,’’ she said.

“I don’t want to take it away from the women but men have things that need to be celebrated too and there’s a lot going on in the man world that needs to be acknowledged by the promotion.’’

Cr Garrard’s suggestion followed the Lord Mayor Pierre Esber’s mayoral minute to highlight its activities ahead of IWD on March 9.

Our Local Community councillor Michelle Garrard. Picture: John Appleyard

Parramatta councillor Cameron Maclean.

“I commend you on this and for all the women out there that do need to be recognised on this day – and there’s a lot of people I’m sure that do,’’ she said.

“I want to celebrate International Women’s Day with them – as long as we do one for the men.’’

Labor councillor Cameron Maclean objected to the suggestion equal importance should be given to IMD.

“There’s still so much work to do and the idea that we need to elevate the status of men in the same regard as we elevate the status of women on International Women’s Day is absurd, and doesn’t play into the history of where we’ve come from,’’ he said.

Cr Maclean acknowledged mental health, suicide and lifestyle disease challenges beset men but “the idea that there’s an equivalence is just false”.

“(Women) still suffer at the hands of partners at a rate far greater than men,’’ he said.

“There’s not an equivalence between the plight of men and the plight of women.

“I really think we’re fooling ourselves if we see an equivalence to elevating men and women in the same way.’’

Independent councillor Kellie Darley echoed the concerns and highlighted the gender pay which on average meant women were paid 12 per cent less than men.

“For me, frankly, every day is International Men’s Day because men generally still get treated very differently to women and that’s why this day is very important,’’ she said.