News: Safety
'Float to Survive' message promoted across social media
With large numbers of people heading to water ways and surf beaches during the holiday period, Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins, President of the Australian Professional and Ocean...
Dec 28, 2023
Safety /
Aquatics
NSW acting Premier plays down safety fears after Penrith Beach drowning
NSW Deputy and acting Premier Prue Car has played down safety concerns after a man died at the newly opened Penrith Beach in Western Sydney just a week after it opened....
Dec 27, 2023
Safety /
Recreation /
Attractions /
Aquatics
Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast reopens to visitors
Rebounding from the severe Christmas Day storm that caused the closure of theme parks in the Gold Coast suburbs of Helensvale and Oxenford, Village Roadshow has announced the...
Dec 27, 2023
Tourism /
Safety /
Attractions /
Aquatics /
Waterparks
Gold coast storms prompts Boxing Day closure of Dreamworld and Movie World
The weather system impacting Australia’s east coast over the Christmas period has prevented Gold Coast attractions Dreamworld, WhiteWater World, Warner Bros. Movie World,...
Dec 26, 2023
Tourism /
Safety /
Attractions /
Waterparks /
Golf
Normanville Surf Life Saving Club to host Masters State Championships following redevelopment
Normanville Surf Life Saving Club, located on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, recently reopened following its more than $7 million redevelopment. In March 2024 the...
Dec 26, 2023
Events /
Sport /
Safety /
Aquatics
Drowning reported at newly opened at Penrith Beach
A man has been reported drowned at the newly-opened Penrith Beach in Western Sydney in a Boxing Day tragedy. The man entered the water with a paddleboard before he went under...
Dec 26, 2023
Safety /
Recreation /
Aquatics
New Western Australian laws ban 82 offenders from attending popular night precincts
New Western Australian laws have seen 82 violent and anti-social offenders banned from entering five Protected Entertainment Precincts (PEPs) in the year since the laws were...
Dec 23, 2023
Events /
Safety /
Legal /
Entertainment
Another section of Illawarra’s Sublime Point Walking Track opens for Christmas
Following extensive geotechnical works to enhance safety, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has opened another section of Illawarra’s Sublime Point Walking Track in time...
Dec 23, 2023
Safety /
Recreation /
Environment /
Parks
Life Saving Victoria advises of cyber attack
Life Saving Victoria has advised it was the target of a cyber attack on 28th November 2023. The organisation employs more than 500 staff and their lifesaving clubs have more...
Dec 23, 2023
Safety /
Technology /
Aquatics /
Security
AMSA briefs Sydney Hobart Yacht Race crew and officials
With the fleet for the 2023 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race preparing for the 78th running of the ocean race, as in previous years, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has...
Dec 23, 2023
Events /
Sport /
Safety /
Aquatics
Small Business Ombudsman admits failure to achieve attractions industry DMF
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Bruce Billson has conceded failure in his pursuit of a Discretionary Mutual Fund for the attractions and...
Dec 21, 2023
Tourism /
Safety /
Attractions /
Insurance /
Waterparks
Blaming rising insurance costs Albany Indoor Adventures facility closes its doors
An indoor gym and rock-climbing business in the city of Albany in Western Australia is to close - reportedly as a result of no longer being able to secure appropriate liability...
Dec 21, 2023
Safety /
Recreation /
Attractions /
Fitness /
Insurance
Court document alleges jumping castle operator in Tasmanian school tragedy failed to secure all anchor points
A damning document submitted to the Devonport Magistrates Court in the case of the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy alleges that, on the day of the incident, only four of the...
Dec 21, 2023
Safety /
Legal /
Education /
Attractions
Perth karate instructor Gavin Michael Smith gets eight year jail term over sexual abuse of teenage student
A Perth-based karate instructor who sexually abused a teenage student and then threatened to kill her if she reported it, has been sentenced to eight years jail. Having been...
Dec 20, 2023
Sport /
Safety /
Legal
Release of latest industry guidelines aimed at increasing safety in aquatic facilities
Royal Life Saving Society - Australia and the National Aquatic Industry Committee have released two new sets of Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (GSPO). Both sets of...
Dec 19, 2023
Safety /
Education /
Recreation /
Aquatics
Life Saving Victoria to deliver updated Swim Teacher Training
Life Saving Victoria will begin delivering the new and improved LSV Swim Teacher course from January 2024, following the transition of the new training package. After being the...
Dec 18, 2023
Safety /
Education /
Aquatics
Defibrillators installed at local sporting clubs across Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains City Council has advised that four publicly accessible defibrillators have been installed at local sporting clubs across the Blue Mountains. The defibrillators...
Dec 18, 2023
Sport /
Safety /
Wellness /
Venues
Bells Family Carnival the subject of a feature-length documentary
The 100-year heritage of the Bells, a sixth-generation travelling show family, has been showcased in a feature-length documentary premiered at the Sydney film festival at the...
Dec 17, 2023
Events /
Safety /
Attractions /
Entertainment
Surf scientist warns of risks of swimming at unpatrolled beaches
With the peak summer holiday period approaching, Professor Rob Brander - known as ‘Dr Rip’ - a surf scientist with UNSW Sydney's School of Biological, Earth and Environmental...
Dec 17, 2023
Tourism /
Safety /
Recreation /
Aquatics
Royal Life Saving flags safe and budget-friendly swimming at local public pools during holiday season
Royal Life Saving Society - Australia has highlighted the safety benefits of public pools as a safe and fun place for leisure, citing that they are “generally much safer than...
Dec 17, 2023
Safety /
Recreation /
Wellness /
Aquatics /
Billing
Tourism industry focusses on community and visitor safety during extreme weather across far north Queensland
As extreme weather conditions and flooding continue across far north Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) Chief Executive Mark Olsen said the organisation’s...
Dec 17, 2023
Tourism /
Safety /
Environment
Te Araroa Trust provides new water tanks for New Zealand trail walkers
The Te Araroa Trust has provided 2000-litre rainwater tanks at six DOC huts to help keep water on tap for high numbers of Te Araroa trail walkers in the top of New Zealand’s...
Dec 17, 2023
Tourism /
Safety /
Recreation /
Environment /
Parks
Chinese Court imposes jail sentences on organisers of ultramarathon in which 21 competitors died
Seven people involved in the organisation of mountain marathon cross-country race in north-west China in 2021 during which 21 runners died in extreme weather conditions have...
Dec 16, 2023
Events /
Sport /
Safety /
Legal
Sensationalist media target Surf Life Saving Australia over draft gender diversity guidelines
A draft gender diversity guidelines document circulating to surf lifesaving clubs by Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) has been seized upon by sensationalist media including the...
Dec 14, 2023
Safety /
Culture /
Recreation /
Aquatics