From bar banter to a national lifeline: Why mateship needs a reboot

Written by James Wright, Chair of Gotcha4Life Foundation and Global CEO HAVAS Red AU and CEO, HAVAS Creative Network ANZ

Ask most Australians what lies at the heart of our national identity, and ‘mateship’ often comes up. It’s long been part of the foundation of our values.

But new research tells us we can’t take it for granted anymore.

Earlier this year at Havas, we partnered with YouGov to release The Aussie Futures study – and what we found is striking. In 2022, mateship was ranked as the third most defining national value by Australians. By 2025, when we asked about their top core futures values, it had dropped to a whopping 17th. That’s not just a shift in perception – it’s a warning signal.

We’re witnessing a sharp swing from ‘us’ to ‘I’.

Australians are increasingly prioritising personal success and self-protection over collective wellbeing. Only one in five (23.7%) report a strong sense of community and less than half (46.2%) believe social groups are essential to achieving life goals.

This highlights a growing disconnect in our communities and that disconnection puts our mental fitness at risk. That’s exactly why our work at Gotcha4Life matters.

Because mateship isn’t just a feel-good Aussie trope. It’s a preventative force. It builds psychological safety. It keeps us grounded when life throws challenges our way. And it acts as an emotional circuit-breaker when things feel too challenging.

But in a world where connection is becoming optional, we’re losing that support system.

May 8th is Mate’s Day and it’s a national moment to pause and do something radically simple: check in. Call a mate. Ask how they really are. Not a meme, not an emoji, not a thumbs up, but a real moment of connection.

Because mateship isn’t a word. It’s a behaviour. And it’s one that builds the kind of culture where people feel safe to speak up, lean in and back each other when it matters most.

My mateship with Gus Worland (founder of Gotcha4Life) has always been built on honesty, trust and showing up when it matters – and really listening to each other when times are hard. This is exactly where Gotcha4Life began back in 2017. We knew from experience that real connection can carry you through the toughest times. That’s what building mental fitness is really about – having the strength, and the people, to get through life’s ups and downs together.

To me, mateship is part of the foundation for a stronger, more socially and culturally connected Australia. It’s not loud or dramatic. Sometimes it’s just about being there. Listening. Taking the time. That kind of presence is in short supply – but it’s everything.

As leaders, we have a role to play in setting the tone – in choosing ‘we’ when the world is telling us to double down on ‘me.’ I’ve taken a leaf out of my great mate Gus Worland’s book: nurture your village, check in often and remember that strong connections don’t just support individuals – they strengthen whole communities.

This Mate’s Day, I’ll be reaching out to a few people I’ve lost touch with – not for nostalgia’s sake, but because that’s the future I want to help shape. One where connection is how we build and protect our mental fitness.

Let’s put mateship back where it belongs – at the centre of who we are.

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