Steering a good cause in Canberra

Newly appointed Regional Development, Rural Health and Regional Communications Minister Fiona Nash posed with Max - a 475kg Square Meaters steer - that will be auctioned tomorrow to raise money for a good cause.

The steer will be sold to the highest bidder - to raise money for the Melanoma Institute Australia - at the annual Royal Canberra Agricultural Show.

Senator Nash said she was delighted to meet Max and representatives from the Royal Canberra Agricultural Show, Melanoma Institute Australia and the Square Meaters Cattle Association which donated the steer.

They were joined by National Party MP John Cobb who is also a cattle producer and one of federal parliament’s biggest farming advocates and long-serving Shadow Agriculture Minister in Opposition.

“This is a tremendous initiative to auction a steer and raise money for great cause like melanoma research,” Senator Nash said.

“It’s an important issue for regional Australians and especially our farmers.

“We need to raise greater awareness about the enormous dangers of skin cancer and also do what we can to prevent it happening.”

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the prized Square Meaters cattle breed which is an Australian breed developed specifically to meet the demands of domestic beef market.

Auctioning the steer to raise money to assist research into melanoma treatment will mark the occasion.

Australia has the highest rates of melanoma in the world: 12 times the global average.

One Australian dies from the disease every six hours and over 11,500 new cases are diagnosed each year.

Melanoma also kills more young Australians (15-39 year-olds) than any other single cancer.

The auction will be held from 2pm tomorrow in the Cattle Show Ring at the Canberra Exhibition Ground.