Ready to take plunge
State’s voters get behind swim lessons campaign
EAMON Blackmore, 5, enjoys his swimming lessons at C-Me Swim swimming school, Edge Hill. He was given the opportunity to learn vital water skills thanks to his grandmother. But a new poll shows overwhelming support for the Cairns Post’s Save Our Schoolkids campaign to make swimming lessons compulsory for all kids in Queensland schools.
AN OVERWHELMING majority of Queenslanders want the State Government to introduce mandatory swimming and water safety lessons in primary schools.
A Galaxy Poll found 80 per cent of Queensland voters support the push, highlighted by the Cairns Post’s Save Our Schoolkids campaign.
In what should be a powerful message to the Palaszczuk government, Labor voters were the most supportive , with 82 per cent in favour, compared to their LNP counter- parts at 73 per cent. The findings come as water safety experts, educators and government representatives meet today to discuss the issue.
Education Minister Grace Grace ordered the roundtable meeting following the S.O.S. campaign, which is pushing for compulsory and comprehensive swimming and water safety lessons in schools.
This would bring Queensland in line with other states and territories, which are outperforming the Sunshine State when it comes to safeguarding children in the water.
The campaign was backed by lifesaving experts, high-profile Olympians, and swimming legend Laurie Lawrence.
Ms Grace said everything would be on the table in trying to boost school swimming programs.
The meeting will also be attended by representatives from Surf Life Saving Queensland, the Royal Life Saving Society Queensland, Catholic and independent schools, P&C groups, the Queensland Association of State School Principals, and a range of government department heads.
The Galaxy survey of 661 voters across the state was conducted on Wednesday night. It found that overall, 80 per cent were in favour of primary school children receiving swimming lessons and being taught water safety. Only 13 per cent opposed the move, and 7 per cent were noncommittal.
Roundtable member Dr Lee-Anne Perry, executive director of the Catholic Education Commission, said today’s gathering was “an opportunity to discuss the various possibilities available to ensure Queensland children can fully develop their water safety and swimming skills’’.
“Most Catholic schools around the state offer a swimming program, but in all cases, this is done at the discretion of the principal,” she said.
Surf Life Saving Queensland wants the State Government to look closely at the Victorian program, which received more than $9 million in funding this year.