It's not everyday someone travels interstate on a ride-on lawnmower for a cause but that's exactly what Victorian man Warren "Wozza' Acott has set out to accomplish.
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The former truckie is in Griffith today collecting signatures for a petition he hopes to hand the Prime Minister in Canberra next week, calling for the government to make Motor Neuron Disease a notifiable disease.
An MND sufferer himself, Mr Acott and his team of supporters are at the Grand Motel today and the Southside Leagues Club tonight to acquire as many signatures as possible for the cause.
He also plans on being in Leeton tomorrow March 15th to attract further support, with aims of being at the Leeton Hotel from 6pm.
From there he will venture to Wagga, Gundagai, Yass and finally Canberra on his lawnmower.
Mr Acott, who began the trek from his home town of Toolleen, says while Griffith wasn't initially part of the 'Mow Down MND' trek, he felt it was extremely important to visit the city given its status of being an MND hotspot.
"To make this disease notifiable would make such a huge difference for everyone, especially people in the MIA," Mr Acott said.
"It means everyone who gets it would be recorded and there would be more funding for studies into it.
"Here in Griffith the figures are out of control and that's why we added the extra 200 kilometres to come here.
"Nationally over 800 people per year pass away from it and over 800 per year get it," Mr Acott said.
"We need the government to do everything it can."
He said the MND research efforts of Macquarie University professor Dominic Rowe, along with 'Lets Talk MND' podcaster Jane Simpson have inspired him to make the journey.
"I haven't met Professor Rowe but I know the work he has done has been absolutely incredible," Mr Acott said.
He said the generosity of the communities he has visited has been overwhelming.
"People have been so generous with their donations, but our key goal is to raise awareness," Mr Acott said.
"But every cent will be accounted for and will go towards supporting the cause."
Mr Acott's daughter, Belinda, said her father has never asked for help in his life but she knew it was time to do just that.
"This is something dad really wanted to do; be out in open spaces and on the road again," she said.
With some 20 pages of signatures so far - 100 collected from Coleambally alone - many more are still needed and the team is urging the community to jot down their names.
The team are currently stationed at Griffith's Grand Motel and an application for an e-petition has been submitted.
In the meantime, Mr Acott has an important message for the prime minister.
"I remember Mr Albanese mentioned during his campaign that he grew up in housing commission. So did I," he said.
"I want him to never forget where he come from and his mates. I want him to come back to where he started and meet one of his mates when I get to Canberra. That's what Australians do; we look after each other," he said.
Member for Murray Helen Dalton, who has long advocated for funding into the disease, saluted Mr Acott's efforts.
"Warren's inventive to make it notifiable is absolutely wonderful and he is doing a fantastic job raising awareness," Mrs Dalton said.
"The issue of MND in Griffith is on the minds of everyone.
"The rates are increasing enormously and we believe there are environmental factors involved, including blue-green algae outbreaks," she said.
"I have written to state and federal government to also make MND notifiable.
"To have it on the register is one of the first things that should be done so we can track and manage it."