Farmers get behind campaign

But this time it’s different.

Yes, this is the best crop Jack Pearlman’s father Michael has grown at their property near North Star, since 1978.

And yes, they’re feeling pretty darn grateful to have about 1200 hectares of winter crops – chickpea, wheat and barley – thriving before their very eyes in a time when so many haven’t been as fortunate.

But there’s a far more important reason this father and son donned the crisp, white shirt to snap a glorious crop photo: domestic violence.

It’s an issue that has dominated the headlines these past two weeks, but for the wrong reasons.

“It’s quite a non-inclusive problem. People deal with it with their families and for us it’s such a non-existent problem. But the truth is you don’t know who could be dealing with it,” Jack said.

“It could be just down the road; it could even be your neighbours.

“We need to be all-inclusive to show it happens in places you don’t expect.”

Rural and regional Queensland is certainly not untouched when it comes to facing these broader social issues.

If anything, it could be suggested a blind eye is turned if it’s “not in my house, not on my property – none of my business”.

The recent events have prompted men and women to stand up and be counted – to show they will not tolerate domestic violence in any form.

Jack has two older sisters. He took part in the campaign for them.

“You’d definitely hope that nothing ever did eventuate, and if it did, doing something now could help stop that,” he said.

“It comes down to being basically a good human; if you see someone who is vulnerable in a situation where they need help, just to help them.

“You’d hope the person next to you would do the same thing as well. I would hope that all the publicity from the recent domestic violence occurrences haven’t gone to waste and that people do wake up and that there’s positive action taken from it.”