§§ The Dispatch · Vol. IIINumbered field notes · Weekly

The Dispatch

XLVIII

No XLVIII · Separation · 5 min

The first 30 days after she says it's over

A blunt field guide to the first month after the conversation. Sleep, paperwork, the kids, and the part nobody warns you about.

25 Apr 2026

No XXIII · MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health support for divorced men, where to find it

MHCP, MensLine, Mindspot, This Way Up, Lysn. The Australian map of what works, what costs what, and what to call tonight.

26 Apr 2026 · 8 min

No XXII · MENTAL HEALTH

Online therapy options, compared

Lysn, BetterHelp, Mindspot, This Way Up, MensLine. What each one costs, who it suits, and which to start with this week.

26 Apr 2026 · 8 min

No XXI · MENTAL HEALTH

Building a support network when you don't have one

Wednesday night, no one to call. The honest map for rebuilding adult male friendship from a low base, without pretending to be someone else.

26 Apr 2026 · 9 min

No XX · LEGAL

The 'best divorce lawyer' question, answered properly

Why 'who's the best divorce lawyer in Australia' is the wrong question, and the right questions to ask instead before you sign anything.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No XIX · LEGAL

Your first meeting with a family lawyer

What to bring, what to ask, what to expect to spend. A practical prep guide for the appointment that sets the tone for everything else.

26 Apr 2026 · 6 min

No XVIII · LEGAL

Navigating child support as a divorced father

The inside view of the system: how to handle changes, what to push back on, and how to keep the kids out of the financial talk.

26 Apr 2026 · 8 min

No XVII · LEGAL

Divorce rights in Australia, the basics

What the Family Law Act gives you, what divorce really means in legal terms, and the difference between divorce and settlement.

26 Apr 2026 · 8 min

No XVI · FINANCE

Financial planning after divorce, seven moves that matter

Divorce halves the household income and doubles the admin. Seven moves I'd make in the first six months, ranked by what actually matters.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No XV · FINANCE

Rebuilding your life after divorce

Rebuilding isn't a single decision. It's a thousand small ones, made on bad days, that eventually point in the same direction.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No XIV · FINANCE

The single-income mortgage conversation

On one income the mortgage maths flips. Here's the conversation I had with myself, the bank, and the broker, in that order.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No XIII · CAREER

The day you get made redundant

What to actually do in the first 24 hours after a redundancy meeting, from someone who's been in the chair twice.

26 Apr 2026 · 6 min

No XII · CAREER

Understanding your redundancy rights

What you're actually owed under the NES, what you can negotiate, and when to call a lawyer before you sign.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No XI · CAREER

How to job-search after 40

The job-search playbook changes after 40. Network, recruiters, contracting, and what stops working at the front door.

26 Apr 2026 · 8 min

No X · CAREER

The LinkedIn rebuild

What to fix on your LinkedIn after redundancy, why the headline matters most, and the half-day rebuild plan.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No IX · CAREER

Contracting or permanent, after redundancy

The real maths on day rate vs salary, when each makes sense after redundancy, and the hybrid most people miss.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No VIII · CAREER

Talking about being made redundant

How to tell your partner, kids, mates, and network without spinning, panicking, or burning bridges you'll need.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No VII · FATHERHOOD

The third-trimester prep list

What you actually need ready before the baby arrives, from a first-time dad who learnt most of it the hard way.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No VI · FATHERHOOD

What the birth is actually like (for the partner watching)

Honest notes on what the partner does, sees and feels in the birth room, from a dad who was there.

26 Apr 2026 · 8 min

No V · FATHERHOOD

The first six weeks with a newborn, by the hour

An honest, hour-by-hour look at the newborn fog from a dad who tracked it (because he had to).

26 Apr 2026 · 8 min

No IV · FATHERHOOD

How the relationship shifts after the baby

What changes between you and your partner once the baby arrives, and how to keep the relationship in the room.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No III · FATHERHOOD

Parental leave in Australia, explained for dads

How Dad and Partner Pay, employer leave, and the newborn payments work in Australia, in plain English.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No II · FATHERHOOD

Staying yourself as a new dad

How to keep your identity, friendships and inner life intact through the first year of fatherhood.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No I · HEALTH

Why your old workout doesn't work anymore

The five-day split that built me at 30 was breaking me at 42. Here is what the evidence (and my Garmin) said to change.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min

No · · HEALTH

The four lifts that matter after 40

Squat, hinge, press, pull. Two sessions a week. The unsexy programme that out-builds any spreadsheet of accessories.

26 Apr 2026 · 7 min