Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Last weekend I was pleased to once again take part in the Plebs, Pros and Personalities 24-hour treadmill run to raise money for suicide prevention. The event, which was hosted in our community, at Maroubra Surf Club, started in 2013 after a group of locals mourning the loss of another mate decided that, in a community renowned for toughness, something needed to be done to break through the stigma surrounding depression and suicide. Four years later, the event has spread to all corners of the nation, with sites in Perth, Queensland—and I congratulate the member for Rankin, who took part in the run up there—South Australia, the Central Coast, Melbourne and Sydney, both at Maroubra and on the Northern Beaches.

At our local sites, six treadmills operated throughout the night, with celebrities and local heroes including Shannan Pontin, Mario Fenech, the Rabbitohs' Adam Reynolds and Ironwoman Tara Coleman, all pounding the plastic to raise money for this worthy cause. I am pleased to say that nationwide, after the 24-hour event, $80,000 had been raised, and the money continues to roll in. I would like to thank the team of volunteers at a local level who put in a great effort, including Katherine Stewart and Ben Higgs from the Rise Foundation. Thanks to Vision Personal Training, the Maritime Union of Australia, F45, PRDnationwide and the Dreamtime Academy for their support. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who took part in this important event.

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