AusLeisure

The Federal Government has announced its continued support for Australia’s water safety sector with a three-year, $36.9 million funding commitment.

The investment will support a range of drowning prevention initiatives such as the River Black Spot Program, the Beach Safety Equipment Fund, the Swim and Survive program and Kids Alive Do the Five. The funding will also support snow safety initiatives.

Announcing the funding, Fderal Minister for Sport, Senator Bridget McKenzie advised “a total of 291 people drowned in Australia last year – that’s 291 lives lost tragically, but needlessly.

“The (Federal) Government is committed to doing all it can to reduce drownings – and this longer-term funding will give organisations the ongoing support they need to do their vital work, including buying rescue and safety equipment, educating young children and their parents about the dangers of aquatic environments and teaching children to swim and survive.

“It will also help protect international visitors unfamiliar with Australia’s beaches, rivers and waterways from the dangers of activities in and around water.”

Minister McKenzie said the Coalition Government continued to support the Australian Water Safety Council’s aspiration for a 50% reduction in drownings by 2020.

An independent review in late 2017 examined the Government’s support for water safety and endorsed the direction being taken under the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2016–20 aimed at preventing fatal and non-fatal drowning accidents.

Minister McKenzie added “the new streamlined Water and Snow Safety Program consolidates existing initiatives and gives the water and snow safety sector the certainty it needs to undertake longer term projects to keep Australians and international visitors safe in our aquatic and alpine environments.”

She also reminded Australians that water safety was everyone’s responsibility, concluding “people need to remain vigilant around water.

“Watch out for yourself and others. Know your swimming capacity, especially watch out for rips, swim between the beach flags, and never swim alone.”​ 

Image: Swim and Survive

14th March 2018 - NEW RESEARCH COULD PROVE KEY TO PREVENTING DROWNING DEATHS AMONG VICTORIAN CHILDREN

7th March 2018 - SWIMS 4 ALL INITIATIVE LOOKS TO GET MORE AUSTRALIANS SWIMMING 

3rd February 2018 - QUEENSLAND PREMIER ANNOUNCES AUDIT OF SCHOOL SWIMMING AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SWIM SCHOOL ENROLMENTS 

19th December 2017 - NEW FEDERAL MINISTER FOR SPORT NAMED IN AUSTRALIAN CABINET RESHUFFLE 

17th December 2017 - COMPLACENCY SURROUNDING ASIAN DROWNING EPIDEMIC ALSO IMPACTS AUSTRALIA

7th December 2017 - ROYAL LIFE SAVING REPORT DEMONSTRATES WELLNESS BENEFITS OF AQUATIC FACILITIES

15th September 2017 - AUSTRALIAN LEISURE FACILITIES ASSOCIATION ECHOES CONCERNS RAISED IN 2017 NATIONAL DROWNING REPORT

12th September 2017 - SMALL INCREASE IN AUSTRALIA’S ANNUAL DROWNING NUMBERS

30th June 2017 - ROYAL LIFE SAVING REPORT REVEALS NON-FATAL DROWNING INCIDENTS ARE ON THE RISE

21st April 2017 - ROYAL LIFE SAVING LAUNCHES NATIONAL AQUATIC INDUSTRY SAFETY AWARDS

26th October 2016 - ASSA ROLLS OUT ‘NO DROWN TOWN’ INITIATIVE

14th October 2016 - ASSA EXECUTIVES GET IMMERSED AT USSSA CONFERENCE

22nd September 2016 - 300 SWIM SCHOOLS TO PARTICIPATE IN LEARN TO SWIM WEEK 2016

20th September 2016 - DROWNING FIGURES DEMONSTRATE IMPORTANCE OF LEARN-TO-SWIM PROGRAMS 

15th September 2016 - NEW REPORT SHOWS NO IMPROVEMENT IN ANNUAL DROWNING FIGURES

28th April 2016 - NEW AUSTRALIAN WATER SAFETY STRATEGY RECOGNISES IMPACTS OF NON-FATAL DROWNING

7th September 2014 - FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BACKS LAURIE LAWRENCE’S ANTI-DROWNING INITIATIVE

4th November 2013 - PARENTS VALUE SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY LESSONS ABOVE OTHER OUT-OF-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

31st August 2012 - AQUALOGAN AND LAWRIE LAWRENCE PARTNER TO HELP PREVENT CHILD DROWNING

7th December 2010 - LAURIE LAWRENCE SHARES TIPS FOR A WATER-SAFE SUMMER

17th November 2010 - ONE IN FIVE AUSSIE KIDS CAN’T SWIM 

Every operator, business and professional has a story to share so if you’d like us to include your news in Australasian Leisure Management, or if you have any ideas of new industry topics that you’d like us to focus on, then please just contact us at leisure@ausleisure.com.au with details. We rely on industry contributions, and remember, our content is not paid for advertorial.

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.