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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-09-11 Daily Xml
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SWIMMING POOL SAFETY

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (14:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Urban Development and Planning a question about new pool safety rules.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: Since 1993, anyone constructing a new swimming pool or spa in South Australia has been required to ensure that safety fencing complies with the national standard. This has meant that swimming pools or spas built before 1 July 1993 have not been required to comply with these national standards for pool fencing. With drowning in a backyard pool one of the greatest fears parents face each summer, what is the government doing to encourage owners of pools and spas built before July 1993 to install fencing and other safety measures that comply with the national standard?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:47): I thank the honourable member for his question. As the honourable member points out, South Australia has adopted the national standard for swimming pool safety for all new pools and spas, but from October this year the state government is acting to ensure that those homes with pools and spas installed before 1993 have up-to-date child safety barriers installed. To do this, any home owner wanting to sell a property with a pool or spa from 1 October this year will need to ensure that that property complies with modern pool safety requirements.

It will be the responsibility of the pool owner to ensure that the current pool requirements are met before the home is sold. This will mean that appropriate child safety barriers will need to be in place before settlement. Under the Australian standards, all swimming pools must have a continuous safety barrier which is maintained by the pool owner and which restricts access by young children to the pool and the immediate pool surrounds. The state government and the Real Estate Institute will be conducting an education campaign to ensure real estate agents are aware of the changes and can inform vendors of the new requirements.

Kidsafe SA estimates that there are about 10,000 properties across the state that fail to comply with the national standard. However, the government hopes that turnover in the property market will ensure that all of these homes will eventually be brought up to code with the installation of adequate fencing and safety barriers.

The decision to insist that pools are up to the national standard before a property can be sold should also encourage a more ordered process of upgrading homes across the state. Rather than issuing a deadline and expecting all home owners to comply, putting huge demand on tradespeople and suppliers to bring those thousands of homes up to standard in a short period of time, the government's approach will avoid a rush to ensure compliance. Pool owners may need to check with their local council regarding the need for approval of any upgrading of child safety barriers.

While these pool safety measures are extremely important, there is no substitute for supervision of children around pools. Children can move incredibly quickly and do not recognise the dangers of a pool. Close supervision of kids around pools is essential to help reduce the number of drownings in private swimming pools. The other essential element is resuscitation skills. Resuscitation skills are also crucial, because they save lives. Pool owners should make certain that someone on the property has these skills.

Finally, Planning SA will be issuing a number of brochures which can be made available to any members who want them for their constituents and which set out these new swimming pool fencing requirements.

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