Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today on the very serious issue of men's health and also to explain the hairy abomination that has manifested itself on my top lip this month of 'Movember'. The idea of Movember was devised in 2003 in a great Australian fashion—as a joke over a beer of two mates, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery, with the goal of bringing back the 'mo' and doing something about men's health. Movember is a modern Australian demonstration of what De Tocqueville saw in America and what Burke described as the 'little platoons'—people identifying a problem and deciding to do something about it. It is evidence of a great Australian spirit of social entrepreneurship.

Since 2003 Movember has inspired support from over five million 'mo bros' and 'mo sisters' from 21 countries and raised $770 million. Money raised during Movember supports men's health initiatives, and I have chosen to focus my fundraising efforts on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. I am very pleased to announce that, as of today, my mo has raised over $2,000, exceeding my initial goal. I would particularly like to thank members of this House and many friends from around the country who have kindly donated. I would also like to thank my friend and mo bro, the member for Leichhardt, for all of his sage counsel on the proper mo protocol, and thank my poor wife, who has had to put up with it this month.

I would like to invite any other members of parliament who would like to make a contribution, and people right across the country, to help support my efforts by visiting au.movember.com before Friday, when I shave the mo off.