Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As a community Keep Watch ambassador for the Royal Life Saving Society Australia, I want to take this opportunity to speak of the need for better water safety for not only children but also all other Australians. I take this opportunity because on Monday, 14 September, the national drowning report was released by the society. It is a tragedy that, in the 12 months to 30 June, 302 Australians drowned. Sadly, that constitutes 41 more than in the previous year.

When we speak of drowning, often we think of children in swimming pools. Clearly, while it is the responsibility of all adults to maintain supervision of children in swimming pools, it is also important to examine the detail of the drowning figures for each location in order to exercise vigilance across the higher risk areas. A breakdown of the figures is as follows: 76 drownings in rivers; 67 in oceans or harbours; 26 in lakes, dams or lagoons; 67 on beaches; 41 in swimming pools; 12 in bathtubs or spas; and 13 in other locations. What these figures suggest is the need for adults to be vigilant when children are involved in water activities or when they are anywhere near water such as rivers and other locations.

I want to look at the issue of rivers. Of the 76 deaths, eight were children under 14 years of age and 18 were those over 65 years old. A fifth of those total drownings in rivers came from cars being driven through flooded roads. Deaths in rivers have occurred after swimming, falling in, driving across flooded bridges or culverts, falling from watercraft, jumping in and, most tragically of all, failed rescue attempts. The advice of the Royal Life Saving Society Australia is to never drive through flooding.

The two other big areas of concern are open water locations such as harbours and oceans, and beaches, where 67 drowned in each category. In these categories, the age groups most represented were the 25- to 34-year-olds, the 35- to 44-year-olds and the 45- to 54-year-olds. In looking through the report, it would appear that a lack of regard for the risks involved is a factor. With regard to the ocean and harbour category, the society recommends the wearing of a life jacket. With regard to the beach category, the society advises us to enjoy the beach with friends.

In speaking about water safety at beaches, I would make the point that one of my favourite TV shows is Bondi Rescue, where the professional lifeguards are shown undertaking their duties at Bondi Beach in Sydney. It continues to amaze me the number of people who ignore the signs and just go straight into the dangerous water at the south end of Bondi. In the mid-1980s when I was posted to Sydney in the AFP, I undertook my bronze medallion at North Bondi life saving club. I recall clearly the dangerous currents and rips that almost always existed at the south end, and it was well marked even then. Yet it seems clear that tourists and migrants seem to fall foul of the conditions and lack familiarity with the risks involved.

I would also say that we cannot ever ignore or be complacent about the risks involved with alcohol consumption. We know that young Australian men are very often drinkers and also take more risks than young women. A case in point from the mid-1990s involving rivers was when I was with a rowing club in Brisbane when I was in the Army. It was reported that two young men drowned after drinking too much alcohol when they tried to swim across the river at St Lucia at night. In heading out for a training session the next morning, we were told to look out for bodies.

I would now like to speak of the 32 drowning deaths of young children. The figure is tragic but it is not greater than the five-year average. With respect to those 32 deaths, the overwhelming location of those tragic deaths was in swimming pools, where there were 19 deaths. This was followed by five deaths in lakes, dams or lagoons. This bears out the enduring requirement and duty of parents and every adult to maintain supervision of children. It is also right for parents to learn resuscitation, particularly when they have pools, spas, dams or bodies of water near their home. Pools and spas must be fenced in accordance with local government by-laws and other government standards. Safe and fenced areas should be provided for children on farms, as dams and other water storage options cannot be fenced. The other duty of parents is to make sure preparatory water skills of children are developed in water familiarisation and water confidence training.

The number of deaths in Australia by drowning is avoidable and we must work hard to reduce and eliminate them. Adults in this country must have respect for the risks involved with swimming and other water activities, and respect and due regard to dangerous or changing conditions in the various locations in order to keep themselves safe but also to look after children in those locations. Alcohol, overconfidence and ignorance do not mix. Lack of parental supervision is not and will never be acceptable.

I acknowledge the great work of the Royal Life Saving Society Australia and its Chief Executive Officer, Rob Bradley, in partnership with sponsors PoolWerx and its Chief Executive Officer, John O’Brien, and Uncle Tobys, to reduce drowning deaths in Australia.