❓ Question regarding the implementation of recommendations from the Ombudsman's report on preventing child drownings in backyard swimming pools, and the Minister's response outlining government initiatives and a political dispute over pool fencing laws.
AnsweredQoN 957Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
OMBUDSMAN'S
REPORT — BACKYARD SWIMMING POOLS — CHILD DROWNINGS
957. Ms E. HAMILTON to the Minister for Commerce and
Industrial Relations:
Before
I begin, I would like to acknowledge in the Speaker's gallery school
captains from Heathridge Primary School , Neeli, Bonnie, Sebastian and
Ruby, and school principal, Mrs Jeffs.
The SPEAKER : Hear, hear!
Ms E. HAMILTON : I refer to
the Ombudsman's 2017 investigation into ways to prevent or reduce
deaths of children by drowning.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the positive steps this government is taking to
implement the recommendations of the report to prevent or reduce the number of
child drownings?
(2) Can the minister outline the other steps the
community can take to protect vulnerable children from drowning?
REPORT — BACKYARD SWIMMING POOLS — CHILD DROWNINGS
957. Ms E. HAMILTON to the Minister for Commerce and
Industrial Relations:
Before
I begin, I would like to acknowledge in the Speaker's gallery school
captains from Heathridge Primary School , Neeli, Bonnie, Sebastian and
Ruby, and school principal, Mrs Jeffs.
The SPEAKER : Hear, hear!
Ms E. HAMILTON : I refer to
the Ombudsman's 2017 investigation into ways to prevent or reduce
deaths of children by drowning.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the positive steps this government is taking to
implement the recommendations of the report to prevent or reduce the number of
child drownings?
(2) Can the minister outline the other steps the
community can take to protect vulnerable children from drowning?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
am very pleased to take this question from a young mother who has joined the
Labor Party in this chamber, one of a number of young women who have come here
while their children are still young. I think it is appropriate that we note
this report of the Ombudsman on the day after United Nations Universal Children's
Day, which was, of course, 20 November. The Ombudsman's report was grim
reading. I personally read every page of his report last year. I have worked
with my agency to get action, and I reported recently on the work of the Building
Commission, which has worked with local government to ensure that pool fencing
inspections are more adequately performed.
Another one of the Ombudsman's
recommendations was regarding portable pools. People may not realise that very
sophisticated portable pools are now available from large national retail
chains. People my age probably remember the old above-ground backyard pools
that I spent most of my summer holidays in. They, of course, are no longer seen
in the community because they have to be fenced in the same way as any other
pool that is more than 30 centimetres deep. There are now new plastic portable
pools for sale that effectively fill that role. However, many consumers
purchasing them are not aware of the legal requirements that they have to fence
those pools. People spend $ 500 on a plastic pool and do not realise that they
are legally obliged by the laws that have been in place in Western Australia
for many years to fence those pools. With the national consumer affairs
ministers, we have set out to work with the Royal Life Saving Society to
highlight the obligations on people. Firstly, we are pleased that retailers are
providing information at point of sale regarding people's obligations.
We will see how that goes. We are also running the Don't Duck Out, Make
It SAFE campaign. We are urging parents to supervise their children, to learn
CPR, and to fence the pool and empty it. I am very pleased that the Swimming
Pool and Spa Association also seems to have supported this campaign. I note that
small businesses that belong to SPASA cannot install a pool in someone's
house unless the fence is built at the same time. There is an unfairness in the
current system whereby retailers can sell portable pools and not install a fence,
whereas people with more substantial pools
sold by SPASA—small businesses in Western Australia—cannot
install a pool without a fence, so there is an unfairness. I urge all Western Australians
to comply with the law.
I was
surprised to see the member for Bateman encouraging civil disobedience. I note
that the Liberal Party normally criticises civil disobedience, but here
we had the member for Bateman tweeting and encouraging people to break the law
and not fence their pools.
Mr D.C. Nalder : When did I do
that?
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Last
Thursday. I went on radio last Thursday and urged people to comply with the
law. What did the member for Bateman do? He went out and tweeted that I was a killjoy.
Mr D.C. Nalder : I did not say
that.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : When I asked
people to comply with the law, he goes on Twitter, criticises me and says, ''He's
against mining; he's against fun in summer.'' I tell the member
what: the next time a child drowns in a portable pool —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON : — I will
come in here and take a question. One child a year dies in backyard portable
pools.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I expect
all members of Parliament to support the laws of this state that are designed
to protect children. When the member for Bateman criticises me in the media for
calling for people to adhere to their legal responsibilities when it is about
protecting children from drowning, I will come in here and condemn him, and I do
that right now.
Several members interjected.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : His tweet
was a disgrace. This is a very important campaign and I thank the Royal Life
Saving Society for its support of this campaign. I was pleased to go to its
facility and launch the campaign, and I am disgusted that the member for
Bateman tweeted against that campaign.
am very pleased to take this question from a young mother who has joined the
Labor Party in this chamber, one of a number of young women who have come here
while their children are still young. I think it is appropriate that we note
this report of the Ombudsman on the day after United Nations Universal Children's
Day, which was, of course, 20 November. The Ombudsman's report was grim
reading. I personally read every page of his report last year. I have worked
with my agency to get action, and I reported recently on the work of the Building
Commission, which has worked with local government to ensure that pool fencing
inspections are more adequately performed.
Another one of the Ombudsman's
recommendations was regarding portable pools. People may not realise that very
sophisticated portable pools are now available from large national retail
chains. People my age probably remember the old above-ground backyard pools
that I spent most of my summer holidays in. They, of course, are no longer seen
in the community because they have to be fenced in the same way as any other
pool that is more than 30 centimetres deep. There are now new plastic portable
pools for sale that effectively fill that role. However, many consumers
purchasing them are not aware of the legal requirements that they have to fence
those pools. People spend $ 500 on a plastic pool and do not realise that they
are legally obliged by the laws that have been in place in Western Australia
for many years to fence those pools. With the national consumer affairs
ministers, we have set out to work with the Royal Life Saving Society to
highlight the obligations on people. Firstly, we are pleased that retailers are
providing information at point of sale regarding people's obligations.
We will see how that goes. We are also running the Don't Duck Out, Make
It SAFE campaign. We are urging parents to supervise their children, to learn
CPR, and to fence the pool and empty it. I am very pleased that the Swimming
Pool and Spa Association also seems to have supported this campaign. I note that
small businesses that belong to SPASA cannot install a pool in someone's
house unless the fence is built at the same time. There is an unfairness in the
current system whereby retailers can sell portable pools and not install a fence,
whereas people with more substantial pools
sold by SPASA—small businesses in Western Australia—cannot
install a pool without a fence, so there is an unfairness. I urge all Western Australians
to comply with the law.
I was
surprised to see the member for Bateman encouraging civil disobedience. I note
that the Liberal Party normally criticises civil disobedience, but here
we had the member for Bateman tweeting and encouraging people to break the law
and not fence their pools.
Mr D.C. Nalder : When did I do
that?
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Last
Thursday. I went on radio last Thursday and urged people to comply with the
law. What did the member for Bateman do? He went out and tweeted that I was a killjoy.
Mr D.C. Nalder : I did not say
that.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : When I asked
people to comply with the law, he goes on Twitter, criticises me and says, ''He's
against mining; he's against fun in summer.'' I tell the member
what: the next time a child drowns in a portable pool —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON : — I will
come in here and take a question. One child a year dies in backyard portable
pools.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I expect
all members of Parliament to support the laws of this state that are designed
to protect children. When the member for Bateman criticises me in the media for
calling for people to adhere to their legal responsibilities when it is about
protecting children from drowning, I will come in here and condemn him, and I do
that right now.
Several members interjected.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : His tweet
was a disgrace. This is a very important campaign and I thank the Royal Life
Saving Society for its support of this campaign. I was pleased to go to its
facility and launch the campaign, and I am disgusted that the member for
Bateman tweeted against that campaign.
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