High profile Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce is urging men to get their prostate checked as he heads into surgery after an early cancer diagnosis.
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Fresh from a thumping local election victory in his electorate of New England in rural NSW, Mr Joyce is set to have the operation in Tamworth on Monday, May 5.
The 58-year-old, who has two primary school-aged sons, said he's expected to make a full recovery after detecting the cancer early.
"I'm having surgery ... and, after a short period in hospital, I'll take a break to recover before getting back to work," he told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
Mr Joyce said he was under strict instructions from family to rest after the surgery.
"My wife [Vikki Campion] has told me I'm not allowed to go into the paddock, no fencing, no ducking out to the paddock to do a bit of cattle work," he said.
"I didn't want to announce it during the campaign as I didn't want it to be a distraction."
Get tested, men
Mr Joyce urged men to get their prostates checked to pick up any problems as early as possible.
"What I do say to men, I'm lucky because I found it early. Make sure you have a PSA [test]," he said.
A simple blood test for the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) protein can detect elevated levels which may be a sign of cancer or some benign conditions.
Mr Joyce said he received an early diagnosis after doing a PSA test then MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scan.
The cancer had not spread beyond his prostate, he said.
According to the Cancer Council, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia.
More than 26,000 cases were recorded in 2024 alone.
Mr Joyce increased his primary vote by nearly two per cent in New England at the May 3 federal poll despite a wipeout for the Coalition, mainly among Liberal party ranks.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton lost his Queensland seat of Dickson as Labor romped home to a stunning majority win.
The Cancer Council has a telephone support line: 13 11 20.
