Toxic masculinity on agenda at Naringal church address

The brother of former Howard-era federal treasurer Peter Costello used the Blokes Brekky event to talk about Parliament House revelations and Warrnambool's Brauer College incident that have been dominating news headlines this week.

"The toxic masculinity in parliament house that we have seen this week is worse than anything I have seen in corporate or academia or, certainly, not-for-profit," Mr Costello said.

"I have been profoundly shocked."

Mr Costello said that while Prime Minister Scott Morrison needed to address what was happening in parliament, he was not responsible for all of society's resetting.

"That's up to us blokes," he said.

Mr Costello said the rights of passage had become lost for young men.

"The right of passage for young men has become Schoolies Week which is drink as much as you can and pick up as many girls as you can," he said.

"That's reinforced by the profound impact of accessible pornography for young men where they have even lost the idea why women exist, what they're for other than for them."

Mr Costello said changing those relationship was going to be a long journey.

"It's going to take us men not being defensive and brittle," he said.

Mr Costello talked about rediscovering the rights of passage of young men as a way of moving them from toxic to trustworthly and tender masculinity.

In his address he also alluded to this week's Brauer College incident where boys were asked to stand as a symbolic gesture of apology for the behaviours of their gender that have hurt or offended girls and women.

"Whenever we try to educate and break through it seems like the execution is either wrong or gets criticised but they at least, as I understood it, were trying to address something," he said.

Mr Costello said the PM, in the first part of his mea culpa this week, got it right but then "blew it all up" when attacking a news organisation.

"But he was absolutely right when he said our wives have put up with the crap and nonsense forever and so have their mothers and their grandmothers," he said.

"The crap has been going on too long."

Saturday's event was organised as part of the Easter Arts Festival.

Mr Costello, who was once the CEO for World Vision Australia, now heads up Micah Australia which is focused on increasing aid levels.

He will also appear at the Royal Commission into Crown Casino through his role with the Alliance for Gambling Reform.

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