“We’re Losing Too Many Good People: It’s Time to Talk About What’s Really Going On”

This week in Launceston, I stood in front of a room full of people from the electrical and construction industries at a Middy’s information night and delivered a heartfelt message.

And before anything else needs to be said, this needs to be acknowledged.

Middy’s are on the front foot.

But more than that, this conversation was driven by people who genuinely care.

People like Phil Forsyth, Middy’s Tasmanian Regional Sales Manager, whose concern, compassion, and genuine desire for better outcomes for this industry is exactly why this conversation is happening in the first place.

He’s not waiting for another incident.
He’s not waiting for another phone call.
He’s not waiting for another life lost.

He’s choosing to lean in.

And that matters more than most people realise.

Because this blog isn’t just words on a page.

It’s written on the back of my heartfelt presentation, one that needed to happen, and one that needs to keep happening across this entire industry.

There’s Something We Need to Talk About

Right now, across the electrical trade, construction, and mining sectors, we are losing good people.

Not to accidents.
Not to the risks we’re trained for.

We’re losing them to suicide.

And the reality is confronting.

Construction workers in Australia are nearly twice as likely to die by suicide as other working men.

In fact, you are more likely to lose your life to suicide in this industry than to a workplace accident.

Let that sit with you.

We’ve built strong systems around physical safety, PPE, procedures, compliance, inductions.

But when it comes to mental health?

We’re still relying too heavily on silence.

This Isn’t About Blame. It’s About Responsibility.

Standing in that room in Launceston, there was one thing that was clear:

This industry is full of good people.

Hard-working people.
Proud people.
People who show up, get it done, and look after their families.

This isn’t about pointing fingers.

It’s about recognising pressure.

Because pressure is everywhere right now:

• Long hours

• Financial strain

• Project deadlines

• Workforce shortages

• Isolation, especially in mining and regional work

And layered on top of that is a culture that still whispers and banter takes the form of a mask:

“Just push through.”
“Don’t make a fuss.”
“She’ll be right.”

But pushing through isn’t the same as being okay.

The Conversations We’re Not Having

One of the most powerful moments from the Middy’s night wasn’t anything I said.

It was what wasn’t being said.

The conversations people admitted they avoid.

We notice when someone changes.

They go quiet.
They’re not themselves.
Something feels off.

But we hesitate.

We don’t want to get it wrong.
We don’t want to overstep.
We don’t know what to say.

So we say nothing.

And too often, that silence is where people get lost.

The Strongest People Are Often the Quietest

In this line of work, strength is expected.

Turn up.
Get on with it.
Provide.
Repeat.

But the strongest people in the room are often the ones carrying the most.

And they’re the least likely to speak up.

Across Australia, around nine people take their own lives every single day, and most of them are men.

Men who look just like the ones you work beside.

Men who were probably told, or told themselves, that they just needed to push through.

Capacity Before Crisis

At the Middy’s info night, I spoke about something I believe we need to embed into this industry:

Capacity Before Crisis.

Because right now, we’re too reactive.

We wait until something breaks.
Until someone hits the wall.
Until it’s obvious.

But by then, we’re already behind.

Capacity is what we build before things go wrong.

It’s:

• Getting enough sleep

• Staying connected

• Having support around you

• Feeling like you can speak

• Knowing someone’s got your back

When those things start to slip, risk starts to rise.

So instead of asking:

“Are you okay?” when it’s obvious someone’s not…

We need to start asking earlier:

“How are you travelling?”
“Where’s your head at?”
“What’s been going on for you?”

That’s where change happens.

You Don’t Need to Have the Answers

This is where people get stuck.

They think they need to fix it.

They don’t.

You don’t need to be a counsellor.
You don’t need the perfect words.

You just need to care enough to start.

It can be as simple as:

“Mate, you don’t seem yourself lately… what’s going on?”

And then you listen.

Not to respond.
Not to solve.

Just to be there.

Because that conversation might be the one thing that shifts someone from feeling completely alone… to feeling seen.

This Is Bigger Than One Night

What happened in Launceston this week matters.

Because it wasn’t just a presentation.

It was a signal.

A signal that this industry is ready to do things differently.

That leaders like Phil Forsyth and organisations like Middy’s are willing to step up and create space for real conversations.

But this can’t stop at one night.

It has to move onto worksites.
Into smoko sheds.
Into utes.
Into everyday conversations.

Because culture doesn’t change through policies.

It changes through people.

Where to From Here

This doesn’t require a complete overhaul.

It starts small.

It starts with you.

• Check in with one person this week

• Be honest about where you’re at

• Notice when something feels off

• Create space for real conversations

Because every time you speak up, you give someone else permission to do the same.

Final Thought

They build everything in this country.

Homes.
Infrastructure.
Communities.

But right now, they need to focus on something just as important.

Each other.

Because real strength in this industry isn’t just about getting the job done.

It’s about making sure the people beside you are okay.

And thanks to nights like the one in Launceston—and leaders willing to step forward—that conversation has already started.

We don’t wait for crisis.
We build capacity, together.