Questions have been raised about a series of mental health seminars aimed at young people and their parents scheduled for Queenstown. John McMahon, the Australian-based organizer, had planned to bring his “Motov8ing Boys” and “Savage Angels” events to the Wakatipu High School theatre in early August. However, the venue has now distanced itself from the events following media reports that similar seminars in other South Island venues were deemed inappropriate and potentially harmful.
Wakatipu High School, which was set to host the seminars, announced today that its venue is no longer available for McMahon’s events. The school clarified that the booking was made through a third party in April, prior to a Christchurch event that received backlash. A spokesperson emphasized that the booking and event were not affiliated with or promoted by the school.
In May, Christchurch reporter Chris Lynch highlighted concerns raised by mental health professionals after McMahon’s workshops in Christchurch and Nelson. A doctor of psychology who attended one of the Christchurch events described some of the content as “disheartening and misleading” and other parts as “troubling and unprofessional.” Additionally, some attendees claimed that McMahon was exploiting vulnerable parents of teenagers for profit.
Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson also flagged concerns about the content of McMahon’s seminars, urging parents and schools to scrutinize the level of support provided at such events as well as the validity and content of the presenters. The Mental Health Foundation has been approached for additional comments on this matter.
Promotion for the Queenstown events included a warning for attendees: “These events are not for the politically correct because young people and parents don’t think politically correctly when going through a tough time. We fully intend to say things that we know will challenge and upset both young people and parents, so don’t come along expecting it to be all marshmallows, unicorns, and fairy dust because it will be anything but that.”
John McMahon, who goes by the nickname ‘Rev’ due to his love of motorbikes, draws on his own experiences with drugs, gangs, and attempted suicide during his seminars. He often ends his social media posts with the phrase, “I TUFF love you.”
Despite the controversy, McMahon defended himself in a recent social media post, suggesting that some people are “triggered” by his messaging. He accused critics of being “caught up in virtue signaling to the masses,” celebrating “mediocrity and participation the same as excellence and domination,” and valuing “inclusiveness and acceptance over boundaries and standards.”
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey declined to comment on the content of the seminars or the credibility of their presenter. McMahon has not responded to requests for comment from Crux.
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