Canberra likes to see itself as a national leader in social progress - a place where fairness and inclusion are lived values. Yet on two of the most important indicators of male wellbeing - education and suicide - the ACT now faces challenges we can no longer afford to ignore.

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Across ACT public schools, boys trail girls in writing by nearly 20 percentage points by Year 9. National NAPLAN data show that boys are twice as likely to fall into the lowest literacy bands, and this gap widens going from primary school into secondary school. These aren't abstract numbers; they represent thousands of young Canberrans who are quietly disengaging from learning and opportunity.

The ACT government's Literacy and Numeracy Expert Panel Final Report (April 2024) rightly called for a "culture of high expectations" and "evidence-informed consistency" across our public schools. That system-wide shift must also include an honest focus on boys' underachievement - a group that too often slips through the cracks of otherwise well-intentioned equity frameworks.

International evidence reinforces this need. The UK's Closing the Gender Attainment Gap inquiry found that boys underperform girls "at every age and stage of their education". However, there are a few exemplar schools that show it's entirely possible to close the gap with high expectations, consistent discipline, and male role models who inspire confidence.

Here in Canberra, we have the expertise and the scale to pilot that kind of change. Our city has 89 public schools, an engaged teaching workforce, and a community that values educational innovation. With strong leadership from the Education Directorate, Canberra can become the........

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