CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard has paid tribute to the life of melanoma victim Clare Oliver, who died yesterday.
Ms Oliver, 26, campaigned from her sickbed against solariums, which she blamed for contributing to her terminal skin cancer.
She was diagnosed with a melanomathree years ago but although the lump was removed, it came back to claim her life yesterday in Melbourne.
"You never underestimate that the story of a person who goes through that experience can make," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting in Melbourne.
"It's just a remarkable reminder of the capacity of something like this to cut through and grab people's consciousness."
Mr Howard said the federal government was working with the states and territories to regulate the solarium industry.
"The federal government had already taken this matter up with the states and territories," Mr Howard said.
"It's obvious that this tragic case has thrown up the need for greater regulation of this practice and we don't want to see this happen again."
