Margaret May (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The year 2007 has been recognised as the International Year of the Surf Lifesaver—100 years of heroes, 100 summers of surf lifesaving. The year of the surf-lifesaver is a time to honour those who volunteer and patrol our beaches. I am very privileged to be vice patron of Surf Life Saving Queensland for the 2006-07 season. The Surf Life Saving Queensland Association endeavours to provide the community with the safest beaches in the world, as well as positively contributing to the social and economic wellbeing of Queensland.

Surf-lifesavers have rescued more than 520,000 people across Australia since 1907. In 2005-06 across Australia 12,746 people were rescued and 541,641 actions were taken to prevent people getting into difficulty by surf-lifesavers and Australian Lifeguard Services. Despite these impressive intervention statistics, 64 people drowned around the coast. That all of these victims were swimming outside patrolled areas is a testament to the success of surf-lifesavers. Not only do clubs set up and patrol flagged areas; they educate youngsters through Nippers programs and provide a supportive community for older beachgoers.

Public education is also a priority of Surf Life Saving Queensland as they are convinced that preventing a rescue has much greater value than effecting one. Also in a time where health is a great concern to many Australians, including young Australians, surf-lifesaving clubs offer a great choice of physical fitness activities. At the annual surf-lifesaving championships, talent and fitness are on display with teamwork and mateship.

Of the 305 clubs across Australia, 59 are in Queensland, and I am proud to say 13 are in my electorate of McPherson. These are: Bilinga Surf Life Saving Club, Burleigh Heads/Mowbray Park Surf Life Saving Club, Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club, Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club, Kirra Surf Life Saving Club, North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club, North Kirra Surf Life Saving Club, Pacific Surf Life Saving Club, Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club, Rainbow Bay Surf Life Saving Club, Tallebudgera Surf Life Saving Club and Tugun Surf Life Saving Club. The Tweed Heads and Coolangatta Surf Life Saving Club at Greenmount Beach is close by our border with New South Wales and has the honour of being the oldest in Queensland, being established in 1911.

Also in my electorate is the headquarters of the Point Danger Branch, the most southern branch of Surf Life Saving Queensland. Point Danger Branch was established in 1924 and is located on Currumbin Creek Road on the beautiful waters of Currumbin Creek. Surf-lifesaving officials and examiners assist in the instruction and examination of awards and annual proficiency tests. Regular patrol inspections and courses assist the clubs in their standards of patrols. The Point Danger Branch supports the clubs with the necessary administration to maintain the highest standards of surf-lifesaving. I would here tonight like to pay tribute to Kerrie Barnes who is always on hand to help with administration for those southern Gold Coast clubs.

The 59 clubs in Queensland have in excess of 23,000 members. That is a lot of people doing their bit to help their communities. Pascal Axmann is a young volunteer lifesaver in my electorate who spends most of his summers down at Burleigh Beach. Whether he is patrolling or competing he shows a passionate interest in surf-lifesaving and, in his way, a passionate interest in his own community.

Members of Surf Life Saving Australia began conducting trials of defibrillators for use on our beaches in 1997. During the trial, they performed a successful defibrillation on a beach on a heart attack victim, becoming the first volunteer surf-lifesavers in the world to do this. Defibrillators are now used widely by surf-lifesaving services around Australia. In this year of the surf-lifesaver, I would encourage members of this House to support their local clubs. The Gold Coast is known worldwide for its beautiful beaches and I would like to thank our surf-lifesavers for keeping them safe for our locals and our international tourists.