MEDIA RELEASE MAKE LEARNING to SWIM MANDATORY in PRIMARY SCHOOLS Drowning Rate at a 10

EMBARGOED UNTIL10November 2014

**MEDIA RELEASE**
MAKE LEARNING TO SWIM MANDATORY IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Drowning rate at a 10 year high in Victoria

YMCA Victoria is calling on the winner of the November State Election to make swimming and water safety mandatory in all Victorian primary schools.Life Saving Victoria’s 2013/14 Victorian Drowning report launched todayshows the incidence of drowning is at a ten year high.

The annual report shows that 47 people drowned in Victoria in 2013/14, six more deaths than last year. Of these drownings a third were attributed to accidentally entering the water by tripping, slipping, or falling, highlighting the need for basic water safety skills.

YMCA Victoria CEO Peter Burns said, “This worrying trend has to stop. At the YMCA we believe that everyone has the right to learn to swim and the next State Government can be part of the solution by making swimming and water safety mandatory in Victorian primary schools.”

In 2013/14,107 people were involved in drowning incidents in Victoria. 47 of these were fatal and 60 required hospitalisation. For every fatal drowning there are six non-fatal incidents that often have a devastating lifelong impact.

Mr Burns said, “Drowning can be preventable but worryingly Victorian children have the lowest water competency rates in Australia.”

Research by Life Saving Victoria in 2012/2013 found:

-1 in 3 children leave primary school without the required swimming skills

-2 in 5 children leave primary school without sufficient water safety knowledge.

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MrBurns said, “This translates to more than 60% of Victorian children leaving primary school unable to swim 50 metres continuously and 40% unable to float for two minutes or more.

"By funding the mandatory inclusion of swimming and water safety education in our primary schools drowning and injury rates could be significantly reduced. The program would equip kids with the knowledge and skills they need to be safe around water for the rest of their lives. This is an investment for their safety and the community as a whole.”

Contact: Media Specialist Eugene Benson

, 9403 5052or 0407 806 330