Marilyn Jetty Swim

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (15:20): It is the first Sunday in February, and it is 7am. You are putting on a pair of white bathers, and already you start feeling a bit nervous. Next minute, you are putting on a blonde wig. You have your black eyeliner out, and you are putting a mole on your top lip and putting bright red lipstick on. I tell you what: it is a nerve-racking experience. You drive down to Dunluce Castle and find yourself in a sea of hundreds of Marilyns, and suddenly you feel awesome. It is an incredible experience. We are all gathered there thanks to Sarah Tinney and her efforts to raise thousands of dollars for the Cancer Council in South Australia.

Sarah Tinney, I am so proud to say, was recently awarded an Order of Australia medal for her efforts in this space. As she says, it all began some years ago as just a light-hearted conversation that she was having with friends at the surf club. She was talking about doing a fundraiser with a difference. She thought, 'We are out by the Brighton Jetty. We could have a swim around that, put a floatie on—we'll be right.' She thought that one way to make it fun was for everyone to dress like the fifties icon Marilyn Monroe, and from that the Marilyn Jetty Swim was born.

She determined that she wanted to fundraise for the Cancer Council because of the unfortunate news that her mum was experiencing cancer and ultimately passed away. It was only months later after spruiking this idea with her friends that she started to get a bit wobbly about this venture, and I can see why. She called a mate and was ready to say, 'I'm not really sure if we should go along with this stunt.' Her friend told her that she had just received the news that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. From that moment on, she knew she had to go forth.

It is so fabulous that each year this event keeps growing. The first year, in 2014, there were simply 50 Marilyns, which really is quite extraordinary for an inaugural event. At that time, they raised over $26,500. This year, however, 765 Marilyns took part. Because it is a fun event, it is fantastic to see each year more and more men getting involved and also enjoying the opportunity to don a wig and some red lipstick. Amongst the 765 participants this year, they raised $395,790, all to support the Cancer Council. We know the Cancer Council does such important work funding research for cancer prevention, advocacy and support programs as well. We swim around the iconic Brighton Jetty, ably supported by the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club who are out there ready to give a hand if anyone finds themselves in need. Of course we have all taken the proactive approach and we are all wearing an inflatable ring as we paddle our way around the jetty.

This year was the 12^th year and it was an absolutely fabulous event to witness. I have already started getting my crew together to swim it next year, so I look forward to the participation of even more Marilyns. I can say that it is really an absolute hoot because you just feel ridiculous but you know it is for such a good cause, and for that reason I think it is so effective. People travel to be a part of the Marilyns. They travel from regional South Australia but some people have even travelled from overseas to be part of it.

It is fantastic that we have it in Brighton. It is at the peak of the summer season. There is the Brighton open water swim on just afterwards, so the Brighton Surf Club are incredibly busy at this time of the year, and it is also the final weekend of the Brighton Jetty sculptures, so that is once again another reason to be down at Brighton over the summer season.

The SPEAKER: Sticking to the metropolitan coastline, the member for Colton?