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Thursday, 3 November 2011
Page: 12749

Mrs PRENTICE (Ryan) (13:59): The Royal Life Saving National drowning report2011 has recently been released. Tragically, last year 315 deaths occurred in Australian waterways, and it is uncertain whether we will reach the Water Safety Council's target to reduce the number of drowning deaths by 50 per cent by the year 2020 as the drowning death toll has continued to rise over the last three consecutive years. Thirty per cent of the deaths this year were in Queensland, a concerning figure for my home state. Queensland has such a vibrant beach-going and water-loving lifestyle, so the need for increased awareness of safety requirements is paramount, particularly coming into summer. We have seen the number of young people drowning decrease by 15 per cent on previous years, so the message of water safety is clearly resonating with families, but worryingly the 2010-11 year showed the majority of deaths to be in the 65 years plus age group. A key issue affecting many elderly people is underlying medical conditions, so the Royal Life Saving Society has recommended in this report that people over the age of 55 get regular medical check-ups, particularly prior to getting involved in any water based activities. I agree with the message and of course want to see all Australians engaged in water safety.

The SPEAKER: Order! It being 2 pm, the time for members’ statements has concluded.