Canberra, Sep 6 (IANS): Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce on Tuesday cautioned Australians about the dangers of working in the sun as he battles skin cancer.

Barnaby Joyce, who is undergoing treatment for skin cancer, said he has "paid the price...a lesson to all" for ignoring sun safety warnings, Xinhua news agency reported.

The campaign 'slip, slop, slap' aimed at young Australians, encourages people to "slip" on a shirt, "slop" on some sunscreen and "slap" on a hat.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Joyce said the harsh 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," he added.

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 the Agriculture Minister spent a lot of time outdoors, now wears a wide brim hat, and urged people 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.