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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-11-27 Daily Xml
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Surf Life Saving South Australia

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (12:17): I move:

That this house—

(a) acknowledges the important role the surf lifesaving clubs in South Australia perform in keeping many of the state’s popular beaches safe over the summer months;

(b) recognises the many volunteers who serve on surf lifesaving patrols each weekend and on public holidays;

(c) recognises the important role of surf lifesaving support operations, such as volunteer radio room operators, to support each club’s patrol activities;

(d) recognises the important role that first-aid officers and training officers perform to ensure club patrolling members are proficient each season; and

(e) recognises the volunteer junior committees and age group managers that run junior nipper programs to teach the next generation how to be beach safe.

Here in parliament today, I take the opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work of Surf Life Saving South Australia and all its clubs around the state's precious coastline. The mission of surf lifesaving is to save lives, create great Australians and build better communities. There are 22 surf lifesaving clubs throughout South Australia, in both regional and metropolitan areas. Each club relies on volunteers to patrol some of South Australia's most picturesque beaches.

The Surf Life Saving South Australia 2019 Annual Report indicates there were just under 2,500 active patrolling lifesavers who, between them, provided 77,218 volunteer patrol hours, performed 307 rescues, 964 first-aid treatments, and 8,311 preventative actions for the year. The 2019-20 surf lifesaving patrol season commenced just recently, on Saturday 12 October. Volunteers will be serving on these patrols each weekend and also on the many public holidays that especially occur over the summer months, and the patrol season will continue until Easter Monday, which is on 13 April in 2020.

The Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club each weekend has two volunteer patrols running on both Saturdays and Sundays, with the first patrol starting from midday and running until 3 o'clock, and the second patrol running from 3 o'clock until 6pm. Similarly, on any public holiday, these patrols also operate from midday until 6pm. During January, the club also provides surveillance patrols on the weekends from 9 o'clock until midday, meaning there is a lot of patrol coverage on Glenelg Beach.

Overall, the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club has 11 patrol teams that operate diligently. While not being able to mention all the approximately 175 volunteer surf lifesavers, on behalf of their teams I would like to acknowledge the patrol captains: Grant Macauley, Neil Mangelsdorf, Jared Schenscher, Dave O'Shaughnessy, Lisa Harvey, Dan Everett, Lincoln Jeffery, Shane Harris, Rick Woolford, Sarah Schenscher, and the captain of patrol 4, of which I am a patrolling member, Fernando Camacho.

The Marshall Liberal government recognises the importance of the state's surf lifesaving clubs and has provided $420,000 of funding, which includes $5,000 a year to each club for the next four years to help purchase front-line rescue equipment to make sure that the surf lifesavers are fully equipped to safely carry out the functions of their job. The patrol teams, like those mentioned, across all clubs in South Australia are supported by the surf lifesaving support operations team, such as the volunteer radio room operators, who support each club's patrol activities. The Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club's radio captain is Jamin Lee.

The important role that first aid officers and training officers perform to ensure the clubs' patrolling members are proficient each season should also be recognised. All Bronze Medallion holders at the start of each season have to demonstrate that their skills are up to date, and it is the club's training officers who ensure this is the case. In past seasons, Susie McCauley and Lisa Harvey have performed this role above the call of duty, and this year Amanda De Ieso also holds that responsibility alongside Sarah Schenscher.

The junior committees of the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club also work tirelessly to run a smooth program over the entire season. The junior chairman is Justin Ganley, and the junior nipper program runs each Saturday from late October, leading up to the state championships that are held in March. The nippers participate in a structured program of beach running, beach flags, wading, surf knowledge, sun safety, first aid and a variety of fun learning activities throughout the season. Practising these skills certainly helps the children develop confidence in the surf environment and also allows them to compete at both club and surf lifesaving state carnivals and represent their clubs.

While competition is an important element, the surf awareness and education aspect is the primary aim. Children are taught from the youngest of ages how to respect the surf and read the surf and use that surf to their advantage. While Glenelg Beach is a picturesque beach that does appear calm and safe, there are certainly risks present, and tragic drownings have occurred in unpatrolled parts of the beach. The community was deeply saddened when three young children drowned at the Glenelg breakwater, which is at the northernmost end of the beach.

On New Year's Day 2016, two 11-year-old migrant boys, who were friends, Frank and Thiery, drowned there, and in December 2017 a 15-year-old international visitor, Nitisha, also lost her life tragically near the Glenelg breakwater. The Deputy Coroner undertook an inquest and has just released the report into these drownings. While unfortunately we cannot bring back these three young lives, it is certainly incumbent upon us to put in place steps to help minimise the chances of any more drownings occurring. So I speak in parliament today to help raise awareness of the conditions of Glenelg Beach, not only for the people of Morphett who use the beach but also for the wider South Australian community.

On both occasions, the conditions were mild, temperatures were in the mid-20s and the wind was coming from the south-west, which is the prevailing wind on Glenelg Beach. The wind speeds were quite moderate, ranging between 20 km/h and 30 km/h, and the swell was between two to three feet, which is certainly not unusual for Glenelg.

All three children got into trouble between 5.30 and 6 o'clock. This is around the time lifesaving patrols start to pack up and come to an end and also when the wind and waves start to pick up. Former Glenelg Surf Life Saving club president Shane Daw assisted in the rescue of Frank and Thiery and gave evidence at the inquiry. This evidence is worth repeating here as it relates to drownings in Australian waters generally. According to the Deputy Coroner's findings, Mr Daw:

…pointed out that many drownings occur in waters that are benign or…perceived to be relatively benign and [where] people fail to appreciate a hazard or risk. Mr Daw stated that over 90% of drowning deaths actually involve Australian residents.

Mr Daw further stated that 'even competent swimmers can drown because they overestimate their swimming capabilities'. The danger of the Glenelg breakwater, or groyne as other people know it, is unseen from the shore. On the land side, the sand builds up and creates a land bridge at low tide from the beach to the groyne, which certainly makes it very accessible and also an attraction. In his evidence, Mr Daw said:

…suggested that people who are unfamiliar with the groyne and the waters surrounding it might be led to believe that the waters are benign. He said:

'…when you get certain conditions, particularly a south-westerly blowing, it blows into there on the southern side of it…all the water gets there and it will create a bit of a trough and create a rip-current which will then feed out from the south side running [along the groyne northwards].'

While most waters in Glenelg Beach are shallow, the water gets unexpectedly deep in the vicinity of the groyne. Swimmers who are at one moment wading in waist-deep water can quickly get into water that is over their head, especially near the groyne, which makes them susceptible to waves that can then push them into deep waters. Unfortunately, once in the water, the rip can then carry people very quickly around the rock groyne, which not only sees the water depth increase further but waves are crashing into the rocks, pushing anyone caught there into the rocks. The report found that Frank, Thiery and three other boys were moving:

…towards the northern end of the beach and began climbing onto and over the rocks at the southern end of the groyne. Having entered the water the boys found themselves in a current that was pulling them around the rocks.

The lifesaving personnel were in the process of packing up their equipment as it was very close to 6 o'clock and were at the end of their patrol. The report continues:

Lifesavers Todd Smith and Thomas Drew immediately drove in a utility to the scene picking up another lifesaver, Steve Dumican, on the way. The lifesavers entered the water to rescue the boys. One of the boys was rescued off the north-western side of the groyne by Todd Smith. Meanwhile, another boy was pulled from the water by a young adult who had accompanied the boys to the beach. By that stage many more lifesavers had joined in the rescue attempt.

The report went on to outline:

Nitisha and four other girls approached the shore and waded through the waters north of the jetty in the direction of the groyne. As the group approached the groyne the water, quite unexpectedly, became deeper and waves caused them to slip under the water. None of the girls were strong swimmers. Almost immediately the five girls were struggling in the water. Four of those girls were rescued either by lifesavers or members of the public.

The report continues:

Shane Harris was the lifesaving patrol captain on duty at Glenelg on that day…[and he] and another lifesaver, Benjamin Warr, then drove to the groyne...Mr Warr then entered the water in the southern areas of the rocks where he assisted another lifesaver pull another young person…from the water…

Lifesaver Jeremiah Packer was in the inflatable rescue boat and observed a girl face down and unresponsive in the water. He jumped from the boat and swam to her before pulling her to shore where he performed CPR. She remained unresponsive for some time but ultimately responded. All of those brought to shore on 10 December 2017 were taken to hospital and ultimately recovered.

Tragically, Nitisha remained missing and was not found until the following morning. The Deputy Coroner noted the efforts of the surf lifesavers and emergency services personnel to locate and resuscitate the rescued individuals involved in both incidents at Glenelg and stated that they were of high standard. All the surf lifesavers should be commended for their efforts helping to save the lives of the six children who survived. Certainly, the Deputy Coroner finds that everything that could have been done to save the lives of Thiery, Frank and Nitisha was done.

The Deputy Coroner outlined that the findings of the inquest were designed to serve as a public warning that accessing the groyne and swimming and wading in the waters adjacent to it are activities that are associated with significant danger and that these activities should cease. He also made a number of recommendations to try to minimise the likelihood of drownings in the vicinity of the breakwater at Glenelg Beach.

The Deputy Coroner recommended that there should be a public awareness campaign in relation to the dangers associated with the groyne situated at Glenelg Beach, and certainly in relation to the waters in the vicinity of that groyne, and that swimmers should confine their activity to swim in the area between the red and yellow flags that have been set up by surf lifesavers. It is certainly again worthy to emphasise that there has not been a drowning in the history of Australian surf lifesaving of people who have been swimming between the flags, so it is really important to reiterate to swimmers to try to swim between the red and yellow flags that are put up by lifesaving patrols.

The Deputy Coroner also noted that parents and caregivers should take responsibility for the safety of their children not only at Glenelg Beach but also at all beaches. He then went on to mention that, while significant signage had been put in place on and around the groyne not only warning of the dangers but also prohibiting swimming around the groyne and climbing onto the groyne, additional signage should be placed on the groyne in other sections to keep people off the groyne itself.

Another recommendation related to the extension of a lifesaving presence at Glenelg Beach beyond 6 o'clock on public holidays and weekends. I certainly believe that the Holdfast Bay council is considering increasing the time that the paid lifesavers are on patrol so that they patrol on business days when the volunteers are not patrolling, and looking to extend the time from 5 o'clock to 6 o'clock, and I certainly strongly support that view as well.

Another recommendation relates to the engagement and education of multicultural communities regarding water safety. Surf Life Saving SA has certainly recognised the need to engage with multicultural communities, and it has put in place the On the Same Wave program, which aims to teach children, international students and also Indigenous community groups how to stay safe at the beach.

I will finish by emphasising that the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club and its members, as well as all surf lifesaving clubs in South Australia, certainly provide and will continue to provide a professional and valuable voluntary service to South Australian beachgoers.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (12:32): I rise to speak in strong support of the motion before the house put forward by the member for Morphett, and I congratulate him on doing so. I speak today more with my emergency services hat on to thank our surf lifesaving clubs for the great work they do, and Surf Life Saving South Australia for its work as well, and in particular each volunteer who patrols our beaches during the summer months.

Many members like me who have electorates on the coastline often see residents out in the water, swimming, fishing, participating in sports, walking their dogs or just enjoying the sun with their families. It is a big part of our culture, and South Australians love visiting or beaches. That is why our surf lifesavers are so very important. Around 2,500 volunteer surf lifesavers from 21 surf clubs patrol our beaches right across our state. An increase in drownings last season, as the member for Morphett has touched on, just proves how essential our surf lifesavers are to our community.

We know that 13 lives were lost last summer, and that is 13 too many. A staggering 300 people were saved from drowning at our beaches and coastlines last summer by a wonderful group of volunteer surf lifesavers. Surf lifesavers put in more than 71,000 hours of patrol across the state, resulting in more than 8,000 preventative actions. This shows how vital our surf lifesavers are to South Australia as well. These numbers are irrefutable.

Sometimes, we as a state underestimate how good our surf lifesaving clubs are. They keep our beaches safe and take action to provide water safety initiatives. So often people come to the beach. In fact, a lot of people who get in trouble live a number of kilometres from the beach, and we take it for granted on a lot of occasions, but the surf lifesavers are always there. Now is a great opportunity to make that point: they are volunteers, they are there helping our community and they are there to keep us safe.

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of congratulating Brighton Surf Life Saving Club at the official opening of their new club tower. The tower boosts beach safety along our beaches and is a much-needed resource for our surf lifesavers. Our dedicated Brighton surf lifesaving volunteers now have a much better view of the ocean and the beach, which helps them to do their job and keep us safe. Brighton Surf Life Saving Club has a long and proud history in my electorate of keeping Brighton Beach safe and is one of the largest and most successful clubs in the state.

This year also marked the 60th season of the Somerton Surf Life Saving Club—also a club with a very proud history. I had the pleasure of celebrating the 60th season event with members at the season opening and presented to the club $5,000 towards a much-needed surf boat ergometer as part of the Active Club Program because their boat crews are truly outstanding and lead the state in many instances.

The club's 60th season also coincided with the unveiling of the Minda Dunes Coast Park walk, which has actually increased activity down at the Somerton Surf Life Saving Club. It is a beautiful park that connects my electorate with that of the member for Morphett's. The hive of activity that has been created there since the park came into play has brought more people to that beach and increased the workload for the Somerton club, and we thank them for that. We have seen many examples in the media where lifeguards are not always on duty, and we really encourage people—and we drive this message very hard and very strong—to swim between the flags when they are at the beach.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the President of the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club, Chris Parsons, for his countless years of service and the great work that he does, and President of the Somerton Surf Life Saving Club, Warwick Holland. As you know, these volunteer organisations do not operate without a swag of volunteers, so a big thankyou to all of them as well. I have the utmost respect for our surf lifesavers, as well as Surf Life Saving SA. Saving families and creating a fun and safe environment on a beach is such a wonderful thing they do.

As a government, we have been very proud to support the expansion and development of surf lifesaving clubs at Goolwa, Chiton Rocks and Christies Beach, just to name a few. We have also made sure that we support our surf lifesavers. We are delivering on an election commitment to make sure that each surf club receives $5,000 each year to go towards equipment and to make sure that they continue to do the great work that they do.

Surf Babies and Little Lifesavers is another program that we funded at the election, and it has been really well received. This allows families to get their kids down to the beach at a very young age, get comfortable around the beach, be confident in the water, be confident with the waves and learn about beach safety, rips and all the dangers that might be there so that they are prepared as they get older as well.

We also funded a drone coverage for Surf Life Saving SA. They do the work over and above. People think that lifesaving work occurs only on the beach and around the beach, but the drones have been absolutely fantastic in adding to the aerial capability and working along with shark-spotting planes, shark-spotting drones and the rescue helicopter. It is a great complete aerial service that Surf Life Saving delivers.

Whilst we are on the topic of water safety, I mention that Kyle Chalmers is a VACSWIM ambassador and note that Surf Life Saving are a very big exponent of the VACSWIM program, which occurs early in the new year and reaches right across the state. A number of people over on the West Coast, as you would be aware, Mr Deputy Speaker, participate in VACSWIM. In fact, I am sure you probably did VACSWIM as a young person, coming from the beautiful town of Port Lincoln. That is where I think my mother did it. I did mine on Kangaroo Island.

Surf Life Saving have a great program to make sure that we get young people comfortable in and around the water to try to keep them as safe as possible. I mentioned Kyle Chalmers. He was in the mall today advocating for water safety and making sure that people are aware and conscious of being safe around water, and I thank him for his support.

Again, I commend the member for Morphett for this motion. Our surf lifesaving crews do an absolutely outstanding job. I reiterate the point that when you do go to the beach make sure you swim between the flags so that you have the best possible coverage from those lifesavers who are there helping you out. I thank them all for this service, for their countless hours of volunteering, and would have them know that as a government we truly respect what they do and thank them for their service.

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (12:39): I also rise to support this very worthwhile motion. I do have some coastal areas in my electorate, although somewhat limited. I have one surf lifesaving club at Whyalla, a very active club. The thing about that club is that there is no surf. It is a tidal beach in a low energy, northern end of an inverse estuary, so there is no surf.

I think it has been designated as one of the safest beaches in the whole of Australia. I am not aware of a single drowning fatality, thank God. I do remember—and this goes back many, many years—someone being barbed by a stingray, but I do not think there have been any drownings. As I said, there is no surf. The tide goes out and it is a leisurely walk out to the blue line, and you can go and get yourself a feed of crabs and razorfish.

There is another area that the Whyalla Surf Life Saving Club covers, and that is Point Lowly. Given that particular configuration, you do not get a clean break but you do get waves and you can body surf on those waves. You can get your boogie board out when the conditions are right and have a bit of a ride there. There is always water there, and that attracts people to that beautiful beach.

Yesterday, we reflected upon the Country Fire Service and the amazing voluntary effort they undertake, at times putting their own lives at risk. Our surf lifesavers, in the same manner, also volunteer all around our coast. It is been mentioned that 13 lives were lost through drowning last year, but 300 lives were saved. Without our clubs many of those would not have been saved, so the contribution they make to our state is amazing and they are to be commended for the work they do. When it comes to Whyalla there is always a backbone of a club that keeps things going, so I want to acknowledge Phil and Annette Zubrinich, who for many years have committed their time to the club in Whyalla.

In addition to having a surf club without any surf, I also have a yacht club with no water. I have one on the water, but I have a yacht club up in Andamooka and there is no water there. There was an ancient sea going back many years, many millions of years, but there is no water. Thank God the pubs all have beer, that is all I can say: a surf club with no surf and a yacht club in Andamooka with no water. The yacht club in Whyalla does have water. I commend all the voluntary effort that goes into the clubs throughout this state and the great work they do.

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (12:43): I will just wrap up by thanking other members in this house for their support and the member for Gibson and the member for Giles for their thoughts. I also note that the member for Colton indicated he would have spoken, but he is hosting people in tribute to Kieran Modra.

It is interesting to hear other people concur regarding the importance of surf lifesaving clubs in keeping the beaches here in South Australia very safe and the many volunteer hours they perform. Again, I just remind people that the safest place to swim at any beach is between the red and yellow flags that have been set up by the patrols. They have assessed the weather conditions and the wave conditions and determined that that is the safest place, at that time, to swim. It is not always the same week to week; it does change with conditions, and that is why the surf lifesavers put up the flags, so please swim between them.

If you are swimming at a patrolled beach, it is also worth mentioning to at least take the time to try to assess the conditions. Do not just turn up to the beach and take off your clothes—so you just have your bathers on, I should mention that—and then jump in. Make sure you really assess the conditions and do not just wade in anywhere. Certain parts of the beach are more dangerous than others, and we should look to be safe not only this summer but at all times during the year.

Motion carried.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Mr Deputy Speaker, I draw your attention to the state of the house.

A quorum having been formed:

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