Ice bucket challenge: SA Premier Jay Weatherill, Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis take motor neurone disease charity dunking (ABC)

Facebook Premier Jay Weatherill and Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis have both been doused in ice-cold water to create awareness for Motor Neurone Disease.

Bill Gates has done it, so has Oprah Winfrey and a host of footballers, and now South Australia's Premier and Treasurer have joined them, and Prime Minister Tony Abbott may be next.

The "ice bucket challenge" started in the United States, asking people to douse themselves in a bucket of iced water to raise money and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND), and then nominate three others to do the same.

In the United States, where the disease is known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), millions of dollars has been raised since the craze started at the end of July.

Motor Neurone Disease Australia said in the past 10 days they have received $30,000, far above what they would normally see donated at this time of year.

There are about 1,900 Australians living with the disease. There is no known cause, cure or effective treatment for it.

The challenge has now entered the Australian political sphere, with it being issued to the South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill by the Port Adelaide Football Club.

While on a trade mission in New Delhi, he accepted.

The Premier then went on to nominate Adelaide Crows player Rory Sloan, Port Adelaide's Warren Treadrea, and SA Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis.

Mr Koutsantonis took up the challenge in the middle of the city, dressed in a suit on a chilly Adelaide day.

"Two people are diagnosed every day and two people die from it (MND) every day," Mr Koutsantonis said.

"It's worth remembering these diseases need to be highlighted and by highlighting them, we can one day find a cure."

Ms Pratt said it had been heartening to see so many people get behind the cause.

"To raise that global awareness, it's just amazing and I applaud everyone who's got behind it," Ms Pratt said.

Abbott challenged by his Parliamentary Secretary

Federal Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg, who is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, completed the challenge on Wednesday and nominated Mr Abbott as well as 774 ABC Melbourne host Rafael Epstein and Carlton Football Club coach Mick Malthouse.

Joanne Pratt, who was 41 when she was diagnosed with the condition, said victims suffered in silence because the disease robbed them of their words.

"You basically can't walk, your muscles are slowly dying," Ms Pratt said.

"Most people still have their minds active, so you're lying there trapped in your body."

Motor Neurone Disease Australia's executive director in South Australia, Gail Jackson, said there was a growing awareness of the condition.

"It's almost considered a rare disease because it's not very prevalent," she said.

"But as awareness is raising, more people are talking about it and saying, 'I know someone who has it. I don't know much about it, but I know it's shocking.'"

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/24767745/ice-bucket-challenge-sa-premier-jay-weatherill-treasurer-tom-koutsantonis-take-motor-neurone-disease-charity-dunking/