FULL FORCE ON WATER WATCH THIS AUSTRALIA DAY

Water safety authorities will be out in force as Australia Day celebrations kick off, with people heading to beaches, rivers and waterways urged to take extra care after a record number of rescues over the school holiday period.



Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said more than one million people were expected to descend on the State’s waterways over Australia Day and the weekend.



“The last time we had an unofficial four day long weekend over this period, we saw 1.5 million people turn out to enjoy everything our State’s waterways and coastline have to offer,” Mr Elliott said.



“We want people to have a pleasant day out celebrating Australia Day, but safety is a shared responsibility and it’s essential that everyone acts sensibly to safely make it home.”



Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the 2022-23 summer period is officially the busiest on record for volunteer lifesavers.



“Our more than 20,000 volunteers have done an incredible job watching over our 129 patrolled beaches, with more than 1,900 rescues carried out since December 1,” Ms Cooke said.



“Australia Day and New Year’s Day are the two of the most dangerous days of the year at our beaches, and drownings can often be prevented by taking simple precautions like swimming at patrolled locations and between the red and yellow flags, supervising children and never swimming under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

свернуть