00:00This is not your usual speed-sharing competition.
00:07Who's got the quickest to our side?
00:09It's being held in memory of Tracey Power's son, Mitchell.
00:13He was caring, very strong.
00:16He would put family and friends before anything else.
00:21Just the light, like he'd just light up a room.
00:23In December 2021, Mitchell Power took his own life.
00:27He was only 22.
00:31The Shearer's family and friends didn't realise he was struggling with his mental health.
00:36It was soul-destroying.
00:39It's not something I ever thought Mitch would do.
00:43I never thought that things were playing on his mind that bad.
00:47There's a mental health crisis affecting our rural communities.
00:51Suicide rates are higher in farmers than the rest of Australians.
00:54And for Shearers, the entrenched culture of masculinity and toughness is a barrier to seeking help.
01:02Coming to work, not showing too much emotion.
01:05If you're having a hard time at home, you know, you don't bring that to work.
01:09Mitch's friend and fellow Shearer, Lee Hickey, says working in remote locations adds to the challenge.
01:16You could be a couple of hours from any sort of town or anybody.
01:20You might not even have phone service.
01:23The annual Mitch Power Quick Shearer is raising both awareness and funds.
01:28Our goal is to see everyone working in the shearing sheds looking after their mental health,
01:33as well as a shearer will look after their shearing gear.
01:36Come over and chat to Carol and I.
01:38The not-for-profit charity Shedway talks with Shearers and helps connect them with services.
01:44If one person takes something out of it and it saves one person's life on that particular day from that event,
01:51then that's one family.
01:55That's happy.
01:57A mission to change the culture in every shed across the country.
02:01A mission to change the culture in every shed across the country.
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