Inala’s state member, Margie Nightingale, is holding a free community barbecue in Forest Lake on Saturday, 7 February, to raise awareness for skin cancer prevention.
Ms Nightingale said more needed to be done to educate Queenslanders about the importance of skin protection and the dangers of skin cancer.
“Most people know about slip, slop, slap,” Ms Nightingale said. “But many do not apply sunscreen correctly and may even be unaware of the other steps for sun safety.”
“We will have activities there to help educate people about the most effective ways to stay safe in the sun.”
According to a Skin Cancer Prevention Queensland (SCPQ) report, led by QIMR Berghofer and The University of Queensland, only 1 in 5 adults use sun protection strategies, like sunscreen, hats, and protective clothing, when they’re outside in summer.
Co-chair of SCPQ, Rachel Neale, said Queensland needed to “significantly increase” the number of people who wear hats and apply sunscreen daily to reduce instances of sunburn and skin cancer.
Australia’s Cancer Council sun protection advice, known as slip, slop, slap, seek and slide, includes wearing protective clothing to cover as much skin as possible, reapplying broad-spectrum SPF 50+ sunscreen every two hours or if you’ve been in water, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and sitting in the shade between 10am and 4pm.
In October 2025, the state government slashed its sun safety and skin cancer awareness budget by $2.1million, which Ms Nightingale said was irresponsible given that Queensland has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world.
“I am committed to ensuring our community stays informed and protected, so this event is about filling that gap and reinforcing the message that sun safety saves lives,” Ms Nightingale said.
The barbecue will be held at Forest Lake’s Lake Stage from 11am on Saturday, 7 February, and is free for the community to attend, Ms Nightingale said.
“It will be a family-friendly community BBQ with a free sausage sizzle, free sunscreen, hats, and other sun-safe giveaways,” she said.
“There will also be information stalls and resources on the dangers of skin cancer and practical tips on how to protect yourself.
“The focus is on education and prevention in a relaxed, community setting.”
