Less than 48hrs until the Pollie becomes the Bait

The countdown is on for the Member for Kawana, Jarrod Bleijie, to conquer his fears and come face-to-fin with dozens of hungry sharks at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast.

After being challenged by Daniel Chapman of Stroud Homes Sunshine Coast to participate in a fundraising campaign for charity, the Member for Kawana reluctantly agreed to face his biggest fear and dive with sharks to raise money for STEPS Charity, Sunshine Coast Animal Refuge and 4 Paws Animal Rescue.

With the fundraising tally around $10,000 so far, Mr Bleijie is calling on the community to dig deep to raise as much money as possible for the local charities.

“Every dollar will help these wonderful local organisations who contribute so much to our Sunshine Coast community,” Mr Bleijie said.

“You might even get the opportunity to see a politician eaten by a shark and I’m sure most would agree that’s something they’d happily donate toward,” he joked.

Despite not venturing beyond knee depth in the ocean for the past 20 years, Mr Bleijie said he hasn’t thought a great deal about how he will react when he comes face-to-fin at SEA LIFE.

“Basically, I’ve tried to ignore the fact that I’ll be unprotected, without a cage, in a tank full of sharks,” he said.

“In terms of preparation for the dive, I’ve avoided eating anything seafood related for the past month.

“I think my best shot is to pin dive to the bottom and try to camouflage myself,” Mr Bleijie said.

Affectionately dubbed “Pollie Bait”, Jarrod Bleijie will risk his skin and dive with the sharks this Thursday 22 June at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast.

Further information can be found on the Pollie Bait Facebook page and you can make a donation by visiting www.gofundme.com/pollie-bait.