POLICY & ADVOCACY
New Zealand Parliament takes a seat for men's mental health
Left to right: Movember Founder Travis Garone, NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon & Movember NZ Country Manager, Robert Dunne
Coffee, kai and a deliberately unbalanced bench: Movember’s 'It takes a team' campaign landed at the Beehive.
On Wednesday 26 August, Movember set up a pit stop in Parliament's Banquet Hall foyer, inviting MPs, their staff and the parliamentary press gallery to fuel up, check in and talk about what more can be done to improve men's mental health in Aotearoa New Zealand.
At the heart of the morning was the unveiling of the Moustache Bench — purposely designed to tip until two people sit on it. The idea is simple: we won't change the face of men's mental health alone.
Pull up a seat, have a yarn
Movember's Community Ambassadors welcomed MPs and media throughout the morning, sharing their own experiences and showing why better support for men and boys matters. Movember also recognised its early Parliamentary supporters and welcomed more MPs onto its First XV team. There were no speeches and no standing on ceremony, and that was the point.
"Building up years of emotional calluses to fit the strong man stereotype, I've found the walls are far harder to knock down than they were to build. That's why it's so important to teach our young fellas early about their mental health and wellbeing."
Fellow Mo Ambassador Emma Upton, who ran 600 kilometres for Movember last year in memory of men close to her, says support has to reach men where they feel comfortable.
"Creating a familiar, safe environment where they can have honest conversations with people they trust helps reduce stigma."
Mo Ambassador and running coach Ben Edusei agrees.
"Movement can help men lower their guard, connect with other Mo Bros and recognise that being uncomfortable is not a weakness — it can be the first step towards asking for help."
Back row (left to right): Mo Community Ambassador Logan Wood, Movember Founder Travis Garone, Mo Community Ambassador Ben Turner. Front row( left to right): Mo Community Ambassadors Emma Upton and Ben Edusei
What we're calling for
Movember's Real Face of Men's Health Report Aotearoa New Zealand (August 2025) laid the scale of the problem bare: suicide remains the leading cause of death for men aged 15–34 and three in every four New Zealanders who die by suicide are male. These aren't just statistics. They're sons, fathers, brothers, partners and mates — and every loss ripples out through whānau, workplaces, sports clubs and communities.
The crisis falls hardest on Māori and Pacific men. Tāne Māori die by suicide at 1.6 times the national average for men, rising to nearly 60 deaths per 100,000 among tāne aged 25–44. Pacific men report the lowest life satisfaction and the highest psychological distress of any ethnic group in New Zealand, at 17.5%, with unmet need for mental health support close to quadrupling since 2016.
New Zealand’s health system has not kept up with what men actually need, and this is compounded by masculine norms that shape whether men seek help, how they're treated when they do, how long they stay in care and whether they return.
That’s why Movember is calling for a Men’s Mental Health Roadmap ahead of the General Election – a plan that could sit under the Government’s new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
The Government's Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy is an opportunity for lasting change, but one size doesn't fit all. We want to see:
- More focus on mental health support and early intervention for men
- Support that reaches men where they already live, work and connect
- Backing for the community organisations already doing great work
- A health system that works better for men and boys
The bench isn't done yet
Movember plans to take the Moustache Bench out into communities around the motu, creating more chances for officials and public leaders to pull up a seat and join the conversation.
Because changing the face of men's mental health takes a team.
