Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 2014, more people died from advanced melanoma than died in car accidents. I am a walking example of why people need regular skin checks, which is why I was delighted to participate in the fourth annual Pollie Skin Check this morning and to support the Know Your Own Skin campaign with campaign ambassador, and my local constituent, Mr Allan Border.

Australia has the highest rate of melanoma in the world. With one of us diagnosed with melanoma every hour and one dying every six hours, we need to get the message through. The Know Your Own Skin campaign encourages people not only to make time to get their skin checked but also to regularly check their own skin. We have even launched a telephone application that allows you to take photographs and track the progress of any suspicious spots between regular skin checks and then send reminders when it is time to get a check-up.

So now there is now no excuse to be ignorant about sun damage. Considering that one in two Australians will develop a sun spot which may lead to skin cancer and two in three are diagnosed with skin cancer, knowing your own skin will literally save your life. I know it has saved mine.