National Water Safety Plan 2004 to 2007
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THE AUSTRALIAN WATER SAFETY COUNCIL AUSTRALIAN WATER SAFETY COUNCIL MEMBERS The Australian Water Safety Council (AWSC) was Robert Bradley (Convenor) o fficially formed in February 1998 as a result of stro n g Royal Life Saving Society Australia (RLSSA) industry and government consultation. The AW S C acts as a consultative forum comprising the major Greg Nance water safety and related government agencies and Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) focuses on the presentation of key water safety issues to governments, industry and the community. Gordon Mallett AUSTSWIM The AWSC does not re p resent an additional layer of o rganisational bureaucracy and it will not re c e i v e Brendan Lynch funding dire c t l y. The AWSC will however, provide a Australian Swimming Incorporated (ASI) collective voice for its member organisations. It will also liaise closely with kindred bodies at State, Max Wells National & International levels as well as working hand Surfing Australia in hand with Government at all levels. Gary Penfold The AWSC is committed to enhancing Water Safety in Aquatic and Recreation Institute (ARI) Australia - to producing a strong dire c t i o n a l document, to generating bipartisan support and to Laurie Stiller overseeing the successful implementation of the Farmsafe Australia National Water Safety Plan. The AWSC member bodies have demonstrated their commitment by David Oelrichs t h rowing the re s o u rces of their re s p e c t i v e Australia & New Zealand Safe Boating o rganisations behind the Council. Education Group (ANZSBEG) On 22-23 September 2003 the AWSC conducted the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) 3 rd National Water Safety Conference at Bondi in Sydney involving a broad cross-section of the Paco Iglesias Australian Water Safety community and including Commonwealth Dept of Communications, re p resentatives of government departments, agencies IT and the Arts (DCITA) and statutory authorities from throughout Australia. The recommendations and spirit of cooperation John Egan e n g e n d e red on 23 September have been incorporated NSW Dept of Sport, Recreation and Tourism – into the objectives and priorities presented in this Plan. (representing Standing Committee on Recreation and Sport) The AWSC has pleasure in presenting this National Water Safety Plan to the Australian public with the Richard Franklin (Research Committee convenor) g reat expectation that by following the Royal Life Saving Society Australia (RLSSA) recommendations contained herein there will be a significant reduction in the number of lives lost to Inactive Members: d rowning and aquatic related incidents. Kidsafe Australia Australian Swimming Coaches & Teachers Association (ASCTA) PUBLISHED: August 2004 ISBN: 0-909689-24-5 PUBLISHER: Royal Life Saving Society Australia 0 1 foreword Ours is a nation of water-lovers – it is one of the defining features of our island home. Many Australians live near or visit our beautiful coastline, and for those who don’t, trips to the local pool or swimming hole are a favourite pastime. But participation in water-based recreational activities comes with certain risks and responsibilities. Each year, too many people lose their lives as a result of drowning. What makes these deaths even more tragic is that they are nearly always preventable. Six years ago, the Australian Water Safety Council responded to the alarming number of water-related deaths in Australia and released the National Water Safety Plan 1998-2003. At the time of its publication, more than 300 Australians drowned each year. Five years on, we have seen a reduction of 17 per cent to 250 drowning deaths each year. Put simply, the National Water Safety Plan is about saving lives. The Australian Water Safety Council has played – and will continue to play – a key leadership role in spearheading collaboration between all levels of government, water safety organisations, and sport and recreation service providers. This close collaboration is vital if we are to achieve the key objective of reducing water-related deaths. The Australian Government recognises that the Australian Water Safety Council and its members are crucial to realising the vision of comprehensive water safety awareness in Australia. If all of us in government, water safety, sport and recreation can continue to cooperate and build upon the strong partnerships that have been forged already, we are most likely to succeed in saving lives. I look forward to continuing the successful collaborative approach that has been the hallmark of the Australian Water Safety Council. Senator the Hon Rod Kemp Minister for the Arts and Sport N ATIONAL WATER SAFETY PLAN 2004-07 0 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The original National Water Safety Plan was developed by the Australian Water Safety Council, Sydney, July 1998. The National Water Safety Plan 2004-07 builds on the foundation provided by the original. The National Water Safety Plan 2004-2007 was developed by the AWSC, Sydney, February 2004. Principal contributors to this plan are Rob Bradley, Richard Franklin, Greg Nance, Justin Scarr and Prof John Pearn. The AWSC would like to acknowledge and thank those individuals and organisations that have contributed to the development of this plan including Commonwealth, State and Territory departments of Sport and Recreation, Health and Education and the broad range of water safety related agencies. For further information or comment please contact the AWSC Convenor PO Box 558 Broadway NSW 2007 Ph: (02) 8217 3111 Fax: (02) 8217 3199 Copyright 2004 by the Australian Water Safety Council Suggested Citation: Australian Water Safety Council (2004). National Water Safety Plan 2004-07. Australian Water Safety Council, Sydney 0 3 table of contents THE AUSTRALIAN WATER SAFETY COUNCIL 1 KEY RESULT AREA 4: AUSTRALIAN WATER SAFETY COUNCIL MEMBERS 1 TARGETING KEY DROWNING DEMOGRAPHICS 21 FO R E W O R D 2 KRA 4.1 Building on Previous Achievements 21 KRA 4.2 Children Under 5 Years of Age AC K N O W L E D G E M E N T S 3 - the No.1 Priority Tar get Grou p 21 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 KRA 4.3 Children: 5-14 Yea r s 21 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 KRA 4.4 Traditional Risk Tak e r s : NA TIONAL WATER SAFETY PRIORITIES 5 Male 16-35 (The No.2 Priority Grou p ) 21 SU M M A R Y OF RECOMMENDATI O N S 6 KRA 4.5 Adults in the 36 - 54 Age Grou p 22 IM P L E M E N T ATION OF THE PLAN 7 KRA 4.6 Australia’s Ageing Population 55+ Yea r s 22 INTRODUCTION - AUSTRALIANS AND THE WATE R 8 KRA 4.7 Rural Communities 22 DROWNING IN AUSTRALIA - A SNAPSHOT 9 KRA 4.8 The Indigenous Population 22 KRA 4.9 Culturally and Linguistically EVA L U A TION OF THE NATIONAL WATE R Diverse Communities (CALD) 22 SAFETY PLAN 1998-2003 11 KRA 4.10 Inbound Tou r i s t s 22 RE C O M M E N D A TIONS FROM SCORS WATER SAFETY WORKING PAR TY REPORT TO SRMC – AUGUST 2003 12 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN 23 “AN INTEGRATED APPROACH” THE CHALLENGE OF THE NATI O N A L WATER SAFETY PLAN 2004-07 13 EX P ANDED MEMBERSHIP OF THE AWS C 23 OBJECTIVES OF THE NATIONAL WATER SAFETY PLAN 13 CO M M U N I C A TION AND MEDIA STRATE G Y 23 LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATI O N 13 SPECIFIC ISSUE DEVELOPMENT STRATE G Y 24 FULFILLING THE OBJECTIVES OF GOVERNMENT 14 IDENTIFYING BEST PRACTICE AND SETTING STAN D A R D S 24 KEY WATER SAFETY ISSUES 14 MO N I T O R I N G 24 KEY RESULT AREA 1: CO N C L U S I O N 24 WATER SAFETY EDUCATI O N 15 AP P E N D I C E S 25 KRA 1.1 Building on Previous Achievements in Water Safety Education 15 APPENDIX 1: ST ATE AND TERRITORY WATER SAFETY PLANS 25 KRA 1.2 Water Safety Education Policy and Standards 15 1.1 Australian Capital Ter r i t o r y 25 KRA 1.3 Accreditation of Water Safety Tea c h e r s , Instructors and Coaches 16 1.2 New South Wal e s 26 KRA 1.4 Accreditation of Lifeguards 17 1.3 Northern Ter r i t o r y 27 KRA 1.5 Safety During Aquatic Activity 17 1.4 Queensland 29 1.5.1 Water Craft 17 1.5 South Australia 31 1.5.2 Diving and Snorkelling 17 1.6 Tas m a n i a 32 1.5.3 Fishing 18 1.7 Vic t o r i a 33 1.8 Wes t e r n Australia 35 KEY RESULT AREA 2: WATER SAFETY RESEARCH 18 APPENDIX 2: CASE STUDIES OF WATE R KRA 2.1 Building on Previous Achievements in Research 18 SAFETY “BEST PRACTICE” 37 KRA 2.2 Coordination of Research 19 APPENDIX 3: STANDING COMMITTEE KRA 2.3 Collection and Analysis of Drowning Statistics 19 ON RECREATION AND SPORT (SCORS) – WATER SAFETY WORKING PAR TY 2002-03 40 KEY RESULT AREA 3: AQ U A TIC LOCATI O N S 19 APPENDIX 4: ABBREVIATI O N S 41 KRA 3.1 Building on Previous Achievements 19 APPENDIX 5: REFERENCES 41 KRA 3.2 Standards 20 KRA 3.3 Legislation 20 KRA 3.4 Management 20 N ATIONAL WATER SAFETY PLAN 2004-07 0 4 0 5 executive summary This National Water Safety Plan 2004-07 has been considerations flow. It is clear that the public are not written in consultation with the many and varied yet well enough educated about the dangers of aquatic stakeholders with the goal of providing a coord i n a t e d locations.