Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) is to receive additional funding to support its work to protect beachgoers and improve volunteer lifesaving skills.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the additional funding ($9.7 million) built on a further $21 million over the next three years for the Water and Snow Safety Program.
“Our surf lifesavers play such a vital role at our beaches saving lives and dealing with emergencies in the water and on the beach day in, day out,” Mr Morrison said.
“This additional funding will ensure our local clubs will have the ability to purchase vital equipment and medical supplies that they need to keep Australians safe on our beaches,” he said.
“From July 2019 to the end of June 2020, there were 248 drownings in Australia with more than half of the fatalities occurring in coastal areas.”
Mr Morrison said $3.1 million had been allocated through the Commonwealth’s Water and Snow Safety Program and would support SLSA’s Beach Safety Equipment Fund.
“It means surf lifesaving clubs will now be able to access up to $10,000 per annum over the next two years to purchase new or replacement patrol equipment such as rescue boards, life jackets, rescue manikins, inflatable rescue boats, all-terrain vehicles, defibrillators, and first aid and medical supplies,” he said.
“The new funding also includes $6.6 million over two years to continue providing vocational education and training (VET) to volunteers and build on SLSA’s capability.”
Mr Morrison said SLSA was the largest volunteer movement in Australia, with more than 173,000 members and 314 affiliated surf clubs across the country.
Minister for Sport, Senator Richard Colbeck said the funding would also help upgrade SLSA’s technology to enhance the training it offered, cut red tape, and expand its recruitment and recognition of supervisors, trainers and assessors at clubs.
