The Menslink Business Breakfast is our annual fundraising event and draws more than 400 leaders from across Canberra to hear from inspiring speakers, network with other community-minded people, and support the great work of Menslink.
The Business Breakfast is held each year in September and is attended by executives from large and small businesses, government, sports, education and the community sector. Both Federal and Territory politicians from all major parties also attend to show their support for Menslink and the young men in our community.
2024
Senator david pocock
Our 2024 speaker will be Senator David Pocock.
Having migrated from Zimbabwe with his family as a teenager, David went on to captain the Wallabies and Vice-Captain the Brumbies as part of a stellar rugby career in which he has been awarded for leadership on and off the field.
With a Masters in Sustainable Agriculture, David also has a track record as a powerful advocate on issues ranging from climate to marriage equality.
He has been involved in multiple small businesses and has co-founded numerous not-for-profit community initiatives in Australia and overseas, including with his wife Emma.
In 2021, David attended the COP26 climate summit and led The Cool Down campaign that saw over 470 Australian athletes from 40+ sports call on the Australian Government to lift its ambition on climate change. Upon returning home, he announced his run as the community-endorsed Independent Senate candidate for the ACT. After campaigning on a platform of integrity, doing politics differently and making Canberra count, David was successfully elected at the 21 May 2022 Federal Election.
The 2024 Breakfast will be held Tuesday 17 September from 7am at the Hotel Realm in Barton. Tables of 10 are $2000 +GST. If you’re after an individual ticket, please get in touch and we can let you know if there are any individual seats available.
2023
Michael Coutts-Trotter
2023’s speaker was Michael Coutts-Trotter.
Michael’s past has been written and spoken about extensively. Arriving from England as a young guy, he lost his father to cancer at a young age, fell into the trap of drugs and dealing, which led to a stint in jail and rehab. His self-determination and the support around him led to his famed redemption and a path back into professional life with the NSW Government. Michael’s journey is about resilience, strength, courage and being given a second chance.
2022
dr Zac Seidler
2022’s speaker was Dr Zac Seidler.
Zac is a Clinical Psychologist, the Director of Mental Health Training at Movember and a Senior Research Fellow with Orygen at The University of Melbourne.
Zac has devoted several years to the goal of reducing the staggering male suicide rate, treating and researching men’s mental health with over 50 peer-reviewed articles published. He has worked clinically with men of different ages and presentations from adolescents in Darwin with early psychosis to older HIV+ men struggling with adjustment.
2021
The Hon. Julia Gillard AC
2021’s speaker was the Hon. Julia Gillard AC, current Chair of Beyond Blue and former Prime Minister of Australia.
The Hon. Julia Gillard AC was sworn in as the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and was the first woman to ever serve as Australia’s Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister.
In 2017, Ms Gillard became Chair of Beyond Blue, Australia’s leading mental health awareness body. Join us at this year’s Business Breakfast to hear Ms Gillard speak about leadership, mental health, and resilience.
2020
Georgeina Whelan
This years event is a ‘pay what you can afford’ ticket to join the broadcast. You set the price. Join as a group at work, tune in if you’re working remotely from home and invite your colleagues from interstate who may never get to join our annual business breakfast in person. If your workplace commits to $1,000 or more you will receive acknowledgment during the event and for the rest of the year as a Menslink sponsor. All of the profits from the event go directly to support our programs that have been supporting young men in Canberra since 2002.
2019
Jimmy Barnes
Jimmy Barnes is the heart and the soul of Australian rock & roll. His nickname, “Barnesy”, conjures up thoughts of rock music at an ear-splitting volume, and of soul standards given a unique reading. Jimmy has been through it all, and literally lived to tell the tales. He has sold more records in Australia than any other local rock & roll artist. In 2016, Jimmy’s self-penned childhood memoir, Working Class Boy, was a #1 bestseller and won the Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) for ‘Biography of the Year’. The book revealed Jimmy as a writer of unfettered honesty. He leavened his dark story with humour and, ultimately, love.
2017
Alan Tongue
2017 marked the tenth year of the Menslink Business Breakfast. Family violence campaigner, school mentor, former Raiders captain and 2017 ACT Australian of the Year nominee, Alan Tongue was the keynote speaker at the Menslink Business Breakfast 2017.
Previous Speakers
- 2016 – Rosie Batty
- 2015 – Lieutenant General David Morrison AO
- Dr Brendan Nelson from the War Memorial
- Current and former Chief Ministers Andrew Barr and Katy Gallagher
- Former ACT Chamber Chief Executive Chris Peters
- Former Raiders front rower David Shillington
- Brumbies legend Clyde Rathbone
For a complete list of upcoming events, please check out our Events page.