The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

New Plan to reduce drowning deaths in Australia

The Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, today launched a new water safety plan designed to reduce the number of drowning deaths in Australia by 20 per cent by 2007.

'The National Water Safety Plan 2004-07 identifies strategies to combat areas where Australians are at increased risk of drowning,' Senator Kemp said.

'The new plan builds on the collaborative work between water safety bodies, including the Australian Water Safety Council, and Government and is an important step in our ongoing fight to reduce drowning rates.'

The National Water Safety Plan 2004-07 includes 32 recommendations with the main aim for the period to reduce drowning deaths.

Senator Kemp said that one death by drowning is one too many and he commended this effort by the National Water Safety Council and its member organisations to continue to improve the national coordination of the water safety effort.

The inaugural National Water Safety Plan 1998-2003, created by the Australian Water Safety Council in 1998, analysed drowning death statistics, identified possible legislative action to reduce the drowning rate, and the resources and programs required to achieve these outcomes. Drowning deaths decreased by 17 per cent from 300 fatalities in 1998 to 250 in 2003.

'The inaugural Plan had a significant impact not only in reducing drowning deaths but also in improving coordination of all water safety organisations,' Senator Kemp said.

'The Australian Government is committed to increasing the effort to reduce death and injury caused by drowning and near drowning. During the 2004 election campaign, we committed to boost current levels of funding for water and snow safety initiatives by $10 million over the next four years-bringing total funding from the Australian Government to $21 million for this period.'

The 2004-07 Plan covers four key areas-Water Safety Education, Water Safety Research, Aquatic Locations and Targeting of Key Drowning Demographics and is available from www.watersafety.com.au.

MELBOURNE

23 November 2004

Media contact: Adrian Chippindale, 02 6277 7350 or 0407 208 743