Australian deputy PM promotes "lesson to all" as he undergoes skin cancer treatment

Australia's acting prime minister on Tuesday warned Australians about the dangers of working in the sun, citing his experience battling skin cancer as a "lesson to all" ahead of the summer season.

Barnaby Joyce, who is running the country while Malcolm Turnbull attends the G20 summit in China, is undergoing treatment for skin cancer and, after showing off his latest treatment scars to the press on Tuesday, said he has "paid the price" for ignoring sun safety warnings.

Australians are constantly urged to "slip, slop, slap" in summer. The campaign, particularly aimed at young Australians, encourages people to "slip" on a shirt, "slop" on some sunscreen and "slap" on a hat.

Talking to the media on Tuesday, Joyce said the harsh Australian sun is no joke.

"Now I'm paying the price for working on the land and dealing with the (ravages) of the sun," he said. "Big hats might look silly, but skin cancers look sillier."

Despite being "on the road to recovery," Joyce said it was important to understand the risks early, and for those who work outdoors, wearing a "small hat" was not good enough.

Joyce, who as agriculture minister spends a lot of time outdoors, now wears a wide brim hat, and urged Australians to do the same.

"They used to think it was uncool ... so I just wore those small ones and of course they just didn't do the job," he said.

Earlier this year, the deputy PM had surgery to remove a stage one melanoma from his right shoulder, while he also was forced to take time out from the eight-week election campaign in May and June to have surgery to remove a cancer from his face and neck. Endit