House of Assembly: Wednesday, November 01, 2017

Contents

Light Electorate

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (15:30): As most members would know, during November, the Movember Foundation runs an awareness and funding campaign to promote men's health. On average, men have a lower life expectancy than women of six years. When it comes to health problems, men are slow to take action. The focus of the Movember Foundation includes prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men and kills 45 men worldwide every hour. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men under 40. One in 20 men diagnosed with testicular cancer unfortunately dies from the disease. Globally, a man dies from suicide every minute, and three out of four people who suicide are men. The Movember Foundation aims to halve the number of men dying from prostate and testicular cancer and reduce male suicide rates by 25 per cent by 2030. My electorate office is supporting Movember. I have registered as a person who will raise funds, and as of tomorrow I will be growing—

An honourable member: Today.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: No, today you have to be clean; tomorrow you do not shave. From tomorrow onwards, I will be growing my mo. I am not sure what shape it will take—

Mr Hughes: Oh, mo!

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Oh, mo! I have also gained the support of some barber shops in Gawler: Brendan's Barber Shop and Gusto's Barber Shop are supporting the campaign. All funds raised will go to the Movember Foundation. In addition, all my letters will be signed the 'the Movember for Light' during November, and there will be a mo on my letterhead of all correspondence leaving the office during November, and all our products will carry the mo. Jokes aside, this is a very important—

Mr Whetstone: You need to cover that face.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Yes, at least I can cover mine. I am hoping to raise funds and also make sure that people understand the health needs of men and what we can do as a community.

Talking about community, last Friday I was very fortunate to be invited to an official community birthday party to honour the 90th birthday of Dr Bruce Eastick, a former member for Light. Dr Bruce Eastick and I served on council together when he was mayor, and I was deputy mayor when he was mayor. He celebrated his 90th birthday last Wednesday. A number of representatives from community organisations were invited to the event on Friday night to mark Dr Eastick's life in the community. There were people from the veterinary industry, from Roseworthy College and from local council and state parliament. There were people from a whole range of community organisations, too many to list in the few minutes I have left, in which Dr Bruce Eastick has been involved.

Dr Bruce Eastick's association with the area started in the very early days. He graduated with a first class honours degree in horticulture from Roseworthy College. He has maintained an association with the college ever since; in fact, he was granted the honour of Icon of Roseworthy College by the Roseworthy Old Collegians Association, and he was the first and only person to be granted that honour. In addition, he was a charter member of the Gawler Rotary Club. He also helped establish Gawler and District Aged Cottage Homes. Only last week, on his 90th birthday, having become president in 1969, did he actually retire from that position.

Dr Eastick has been involved with Meals on Wheels, the RSPCA and the Scout Movement. In 1963, he was elected as a councillor to the Gawler council. He was not happy about some of the council dealings in the area at the time, particularly about the way they were treating the Meals on Wheels group, and he was also trying to establish a community pool in the town. He served as a councillor for a while, and then from 1968 to 1972 he served as mayor of the town. In 1970, he was elected the member for Light, a position he held until 1993, when he was re-elected as mayor, a position he held until 2000.