More cash for water safety

Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) has thrown $1.66 million at its 2017/18 drowning prevention investment funding round, in an attempt to lower the death toll.

Last year, there were 78 preventable fatalities from drowning and related hospitalisations are on the rise.

The funding is up 8 per cent from last year’s round and WSNZ chief executive Jonty Mills sees huge value in this.

“The water safety sector is predominantly non-government funded and supported by volunteers,” Mr Mills says.

“Any additional funding is a lifeline providing vital education to the most vulnerable.”

The funds are distributed across 38 recipients, including Plunket, Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Sport Northland.

$1.19 million will be spent specifically on delivering the ‘water skills for life’ programme for those aged 5 to 13.

New Zealand is currently at the upper end of the scale for deaths by drowning out of OECD countries, with 86 per cent of those fatalities being males.

Mr Mills says with a growing population and many unpatrolled coastal areas, water safety education has become increasingly important.