why The “we’re just blokes” defense fails legally

The repeated Claim:

“We’re not professionals, we’re just average blokes having conversations, trying to help.”

This defense has been repeatedly presented by Better Bloke Project (BBP) in response to public criticism regarding potential misinformation and public interest concerns arising from their declared harm prevention objects.

BBP Legal Structure Forensic Map

Legal Element	Current Status	Public Interest Relevance
Legal Entity	The Better Bloke Project Limited (Australian Public Company)	Registered entity status in Australia.
ABN	62 670 004 056	Verified national registration.
ACNC Registration	Charity subtype: Advancing Health	Official charity classification under ACNC.
Governing Constitution	Contains harm prevention-oriented objects: suicide prevention, addiction support, emotional abuse prevention, antisemitism education.	Declares public health and harm prevention intentions; creates governance obligations.
Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) Status	DGR Item 1 (Health Promotion Charity or Public Benevolent Institution)	Enables tax-deductible donations; triggers public health content obligations.
Harm Prevention Charity Status	Not registered as Harm Prevention Charity (DGR Item 4.1.3)	Limits applicable regulatory oversight but does not remove harm prevention expectations set by their own constitution.
Public Representations	Frames itself as alternative emotional health leadership; suicide prevention; mental health guidance	Heightens public interest scrutiny and regulatory expectations for safe, evidence-based health information.

Why This Defense Raises Public Interest Concerns:

1. Service delivery nature:

BBP offers quasi-therapeutic interventions: peer sharing groups, mental health education, and suicide prevention narratives. These constitute public-facing mental health education activities. Advancing Health charities are expected to meet public health education standards, regardless of the professional status of individual presenters.

2. Public Framing & representation:

3. Registered Advancing Health Charity Status with Harm Prevention Objects

According to the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), The Better Bloke Project Limited is registered under the charity subtype of Advancing Health. However, BBP’s constitution is structured around harm prevention language, outlining declared purposes including emotional abuse prevention, addiction support, suicide prevention, and antisemitism education. While these harm prevention objects do not alter their official registration subtype, they reflect the organization’s chosen purpose and public representations. This creates additional public interest obligations regarding the consistency between their declared mission and actual operations.

4. Outcome Harm consideration:

Under Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) frameworks, the public impact of delivered services is subject to scrutiny. Actual public harm, including misinformation, may trigger regulatory concerns irrespective of internal disclaimers about professional status.

5. alcohol harm Promotion messaging:

BBP’s constitution declares objectives around addressing addiction and substance misuse. However, as publicly observable content demonstrates, BBP regularly features social media posts that include alcohol-centric events, bonding over alcohol consumption, and normalization of alcohol use in emotionally charged male environments. This may raise questions regarding alignment with both their declared public health education objectives and their harm prevention-oriented governing documents.

Regulatory Logic:

An organization delivering unlicensed therapeutic education under advancing health charity status, while publicly framing its activities around harm prevention objects, creates additional public interest scrutiny when publishing content that may contradict public health standards. Disclaimers regarding “average bloke” status do not nullify regulatory obligations or exempt the organization from accountability tied to its own governing documents.

Defense vs. public interest counterpoints

Their Defense	The Legal Reality
“We’re not professionals, just average blokes”	Advancing Health charities hold public responsibility regardless of the professional status of individual contributors.
“We’re just starting conversations”	The organization presents as a mental health education authority to vulnerable men.
“We don’t need professional advice, because we know blokes”	Public events, podcasts, workplace training, and peer groups resemble structured psychological guidance activities.
“Not every guy wants to go to therapy”	Content minimizes therapy’s role while promoting unregulated alternatives rooted in stoicism and peer-only models.

Summary:

Better Bloke Project seeks the public legitimacy, charitable benefits, and financial advantages of advancing health charity status while disclaiming the corresponding professional responsibilities. While legally registered under advancing health, BBP’s harm prevention-oriented constitution and public representations create additional obligations to ensure content and service delivery align with public health standards.

Bbp: VIOLATION SUMMARY TABLE

Claim Type	Public Interest Concern
The “Male Psychology is Different” Narrative	Public Health Misinformation / Disinformation
Stoicism-as-Wellness Framing / False Vulnerability	Emotional Dysregulation Promotion
Emotional Work vs. Structural Deflection	Dangerous Oversimplification of Health Education
The “Helping Your Mate Is Enough” Model	Credential Misrepresentation / Peer-Led Therapy Substitution
Misrepresentation of Suicide Contagion Research	Misuse of Suicide Prevention Literature
The Suicide Suggestion Myth – Oversimplified Framing	Oversimplification of Suicide Intervention Protocols
Suicide Framing as Solely External Pressure	Incomplete Suicide Etiology Framing
Suicide Helper Guilt & Emotional Burden Shifting	Emotional Burden Misplacement on Non-Professionals
Suicide Oversimplification of Systemic Failures	Incomplete Public Health Framing
Gendered Misuse of Bereavement Impact Studies	Data Misrepresentation
Distorted Framing of “Prevention Work”	Credential Misrepresentation
Oversimplifying PTSD & Trauma Processing	Harmful Oversimplification of Trauma Recovery
“Blame Feminism” Subtext	Ideological Hijacking / Gendered Misinformation
Postnatal Depression Equivalence Claim	Distortion of Clinical Research
Pain Builds Character (Trauma Mythology)	Maladaptive Trauma Narrative Promotion
Frameworks Are “Already Helping Men” Without Evaluation	Misleading Health Promotion Claims
“Over-communication” as Therapy	Misrepresentation of Communication Science
‘Lived Experience’ = Expertise	Credential Misrepresentation
False Comparison Between BBP and National Services	Legal Misrepresentation of Charity Compliance Standards
Andrew Tate Alignment: Masculinity Framing	Anti-Feminist Ideological Framing
Talking About Suicide Can’t Make It Worse	Dangerous Risk Simplification
Avoidant Conversations Are Safer	Emotional Suppression Promotion
Being Present Alone Is Healing	Oversimplification of Healing Frameworks
Substance Use, Shame, and Emotional Collapse Minimally Addressed	Omission of Key Collapse Risk Factors
No Conceptual Model of Emotional Literacy	Emotional Skill Failure
Workaholism as Mental Health Intervention	Emotional Avoidance via Workaholism
Self-Sacrifice vs “Self-Priority” Model	Workaholic Family Model Distortion
False Trauma Equivalence Claims (DV Minimisation)	Mischaracterization of Trauma Bonds
Minimizing Emotional Abuse as DV	Distortion of DV Epidemiology
“Jokes are Healing” Defense Mechanism	Desensitization to Violence
Guest Platforming of Harmful DV Advice	Dangerous DV Intervention Messaging
Burnout as Credential	Founder Martyr Complex
Trauma Mimicry & “Resource Hub” Inflation	Intellectual Laundering of Framework Legitimacy
Oxygen Mask Metaphor Misuse	Misappropriation of Therapeutic Metaphor
Emotional Growth Framed as Feminised or Political	Emotional Growth Stigmatization
The “Support Blokes at All Costs” Fallacy	Entitlement Protection Framing
Therapy Readiness Framing as System Failure	Reversal of Responsibility
Alcohol Promotion While Registered as Advancing Health Charity	Alcohol Harm Promotion / Public Health Standards Breach

Bbp: Public Interest Misinformation Ledger

Note: This is an evolving and partial analysis. Additional entries may be added as further information becomes available.

1. The “Male Psychology is Different” Narrative

Claims men need a separate psychological framework.
Ignores psychology’s original male-normed foundation.
Misrepresents emotional skill gaps rooted in masculine socialization.
Suggests therapy must be “blokeified” to be effective.
Public Interest Concern: Public Health Misinformation / Disinformation

2. Stoicism-as-Wellness Framing / False Vulnerability

Frames emotional growth as external validation, minimal disclosure.
Mistakes workaholism and validation-seeking as healing.
Discourages vulnerability, grief work, and shame processing.
Public Interest Concern: Emotional Dysregulation Promotion

3. Emotional Work vs. Structural Deflection

Promotes peer-led discussions as clinical substitutes.
Reinforces unregulated venting loops.
Positions mateship as sufficient therapeutic support.
Public Interest Concern: Dangerous Oversimplification

4. “Helping Your Mate Is Enough” / Peer Coaching Substitution

Frames unqualified peer support as replacement for clinical care.
Minimizes trauma, suicide, addiction complexity.
Contradicts suicide prevention protocols.
Public Interest Concern: Credential Misrepresentation / Unsafe Peer Intervention Models

5. Misrepresentation of Suicide Contagion Research

Oversimplifies with: “You can’t put the idea of suicide in someone’s head.”
Ignores ethical care complexities.
Fails to address training needs for suicide conversations.
Public Interest Concern: Misuse of Suicide Prevention Literature

6. Suicide Suggestion Myth – Oversimplified Framing

Claims direct inquiry about suicide is always safe.
Omits emotional safety context, containment skill.
Public Interest Concern: Oversimplification of Suicide Intervention

7. Suicide Framing as Solely External Pressure

Frames male suicide only via external stressors (work, finances).
Ignores shame-core collapse, isolation, and gendered risk factors.
Public Interest Concern: Incomplete Suicide Etiology Framing

8. Suicide Helper Guilt & Emotional Burden Shifting

Implies support failures by friends create outcome responsibility.
Risks guilt transfer onto untrained supporters.
Public Interest Concern: Emotional Burden Misplacement

9. Suicide Oversimplification of Systemic Failures

Focuses solely on mateship support while ignoring structural barriers.
Omits system underfunding, gender socialization gaps.
Public Interest Concern: Incomplete Public Health Framing

10. Gendered Misuse of Bereavement Impact Studies

Misquotes suicide impact statistics.
Misuses epidemiological data for ideological framing.
Public Interest Concern: Data Misrepresentation

11. Distorted Framing of “Prevention Work”

Positions BBP as trauma prevention authority without credentials.
Misleads public regarding prevention expertise.
Public Interest Concern: Credential Misrepresentation

12. Oversimplifying PTSD & Trauma Processing

Reduces trauma recovery to surface-level activities.
Omits deeper therapeutic work, restructuring, containment.
Public Interest Concern: Harmful Oversimplification

13. “Blame Feminism” Subtext

Frames feminism as contributing to male distress.
Echoes manosphere grievance narratives.
Public Interest Concern: Ideological Hijacking / Gendered Misinformation

14. Postnatal Depression Equivalence Claim

Equates male adjustment to female postpartum depression.
Ignores biological and neurological PPD factors.
Public Interest Concern: Distortion of Clinical Research

15. Pain Builds Character (Trauma Mythology)

Frames trauma as inherently character-building.
Discourages emotional processing.
Public Interest Concern: Maladaptive Trauma Narrative

16. Frameworks Are “Already Helping Men” Without Evaluation

Claims unvalidated frameworks are clinically effective.
No trials, data, or outcome research presented.
Public Interest Concern: Misleading Health Promotion

17. “Over-communication” as Therapy

Promotes venting as healing without containment.
Risks retraumatization, emotional flooding.
Public Interest Concern: Misrepresentation of Communication Science

18. ‘Lived Experience’ = Expertise

Frames personal experience as qualification.
Ignores credentialing, supervision, clinical competency standards.
Public Interest Concern: Credential Misrepresentation

19. False Comparison Between BBP and National Services

Claims exemption from public service standards (Beyond Blue, Lifeline).
Public Interest Concern: Legal Misrepresentation of Charity Compliance

20. Andrew Tate Alignment: Masculinity Framing

Echoes manosphere victimhood framing.
Positions masculinity as culturally oppressed.
Public Interest Concern: Anti-Feminist Ideological Framing

21. “Talking About Suicide Can’t Make It Worse”

Overgeneralizes safe disclosure protocols.
Neglects nuance in suicide intervention science.
Public Interest Concern: Dangerous Risk Simplification

22. Avoidant Conversations Are Safer

Advocates avoiding emotionally difficult conversations.
Reinforces suppression patterns.
Public Interest Concern: Emotional Suppression Promotion

23. Being Present Alone Is Healing

Frames physical presence as sufficient intervention.
Ignores co-regulation, containment, emotional skill requirements.
Public Interest Concern: Oversimplification of Healing

24. Substance Use, Shame & Collapse Minimally Addressed

Omits addiction, gambling, workaholism, porn as collapse factors.
Ignores critical risk drivers for breakdown cycles.
Public Interest Concern: Omission of Collapse Risk Factors

25. No Conceptual Model of Emotional Literacy

Fails to teach emotional processing or skill-building.
Promotes illusion of emotional growth.
Public Interest Concern: Emotional Skill Failure

26. Workaholism as Mental Health Intervention

Frames overwork as therapeutic regulation.
Public Interest Concern: Emotional Avoidance via Workaholism

27. Self-Sacrifice vs. “Self-Priority” Model

Glorifies overwork and martyrdom as family care virtue.
Public Interest Concern: Workaholic Family Model Distortion

28. False Trauma Equivalence Claims (DV Minimisation)

Collapses DV into false gender-neutral framing.
Undermines gendered DV epidemiology.
Public Interest Concern: Mischaracterization of Trauma Bonds

29. Minimizing Emotional Abuse as DV

Frames male suicide as caused by female emotional abuse.
Reverses established DV dynamics.
Public Interest Concern: Distortion of DV Epidemiology

30. “Jokes Are Healing” Defense Mechanism

Normalizes violent humor related to DV.
Public Interest Concern: Desensitization to Violence

31. Guest Platforming of Harmful DV Advice

Platforms guests promoting vigilante violence or DV minimization.
Undermines evidence-based safety frameworks.
Public Interest Concern: Dangerous DV Intervention Messaging

32. Burnout as Credential

Positions personal instability as leadership qualification.
Public Interest Concern: Founder Martyr Complex

33. Trauma Mimicry & “Resource Hub” Inflation

Mimics clinical frameworks without credentialed development.
Public Interest Concern: Intellectual Laundering of Legitimacy

34. Oxygen Mask Metaphor Misuse

Distorts self-regulation metaphors to justify disengagement.
Public Interest Concern: Misappropriation of Therapeutic Metaphor

35. Emotional Growth Framed as Feminised or Political

Frames emotional healing as woke or politicized.
Reinforces toxic masculine avoidance.
Public Interest Concern: Emotional Growth Stigmatization

36. The “Support Blokes at All Costs” Fallacy

Positions men as deserving unconditional support regardless of harm caused.
Public Interest Concern: Entitlement Protection Framing

37. Therapy Readiness Framing as System Failure

Blames therapeutic models rather than socialization gaps.
Public Interest Concern: Reversal of Responsibility

38. Alcohol Promotion While Registered as Advancing Health Charity

Glorifies alcohol bonding despite declared harm prevention objectives.
Contradicts alcohol misuse provisions in constitution.
Public Interest Concern: Alcohol Harm Promotion / Public Health Standards Breach

This ledger reflects public interest analysis based on BBP’s publicly available content, educational activities, and declared harm prevention objectives outlined in its governing constitution. While BBP is legally registered as an Advancing Health Charity with DGR Item 1 endorsement, its harm prevention-oriented mission statements create additional public health education obligations. The concerns outlined relate to public health standards, mental health education integrity, charity governance, and safety risks associated with unregulated harm prevention narratives. All statements reflect analysis of public material available at the time of publication and are subject to correction if new evidence emerges.

This post is part of my ongoing research and public interest work monitoring the intersection of charity governance, public health standards, and male mental health misinformation in Australia.

Take Action:

if you support greater regulatory accountability and public health oversight, you can sign the petition here: Demand an Investigation into the Conduct and Practices of the Better Bloke Project

the better bloke project