Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to address the chamber and inform the Senate of the 100 years of surf-lifesaving in Australia and the celebration this year, 2007 being the Year of the Surf Lifesaver. This is the first time a community based organisation has received such an honour. This government bestowed that honour and made arrangements for this year back in 2004, something I am very proud of. The Year of the Surf Lifesaver marks the 100th anniversary, as I have mentioned, and next Monday evening in Parliament House, in the Mural Hall, there will be recognition with a parliamentary reception to acknowledge that fact.

I declare an interest: I am a past surf-lifesaver. I have competed, I have been an administrator and an instructor and a patrol member, something I have thoroughly enjoyed most of my adult and late teenage life.

Surf-lifesaving commenced in 1907 and when representatives of the first seven clubs met they formed the Surf Bathing Association of New South Wales, which went on to become what we know as Surf Lifesaving Australia today. Since then surf-lifesaving has grown in size and significance and it is now Australia’s major water safety and rescue authority, with more than 300 clubs and over 110,000 members Australia-wide.

Surf-lifesaving not only impacts on communities through its huge contribution but I would like to talk for a moment on the personal development surf-lifesaving provides to members. Something a lot of people are not aware of is that, compared to other sporting clubs, to compete in surf-lifesaving you have to perform voluntary patrol hours. You cannot just rock up and compete on the beach; you cannot just enter surf lifesaving for the competition angle; you must perform voluntary patrol hours. That is unique in any sporting field of competition, that you have to perform that community service.

To undertake that community service, you have to complete what is known as a bronze medallion, which most people talk about. About 7,000 bronze medallions are awarded each year in Australia. That puts the recipient through some rigorous testing both physically and academically. You have to learn how to resuscitate and go on to advanced resuscitation. You have to learn the skills of water safety and have to understand surf awareness. You develop skills in craft use and rescue techniques and you have to be physically fit and able to run and swim. Those things equip you well socially in life and give you confidence. As you move through surf-lifesaving and when you compete, as normal people do in any sporting endeavour, you develop a great team aspect. Teamwork, team spirit and esprit de corps are very evident in surf-lifesaving throughout this country. You also develop social skills because you become part of the team and become part of the community. You have to communicate with people on beaches and in a patrol capacity as well as with your fellow club members.

I think those aspects of surf-lifesaving are often overlooked. I know that I am a better person for having done surf-lifesaving, as family members of mine have done and a lot of good friends I have. It really equips you well in a community role and community orientation. It also gives young surf-lifesavers, in particular people in the teenage years, an avenue to participate in the community without needing to turn to other forms of activity which are less desirable in society. It also gives you an understanding of health and awareness about your own body, about your own physical attributes and about what you should do. You develop a great understanding of how to look after yourself at a very critical age.

The mutual obligation you develop from being a surf-lifesaver comes from knowing that to compete you must be a volunteer, and you get a great feeling of satisfaction patrolling the beaches of Australia. I spent a couple of Christmas Days on beaches on patrol, and again it is great thing to be able to participate in.

I think we should commend Surf Lifesaving Australia, and I hope that my brief outline this evening will heighten awareness. We should constantly be supporting our surf-lifesaving clubs. Even the state of Tasmania has many surf-lifesaving clubs. Despite the water temperature, we have that advantage when we have national titles in Australia where competitors come from warmer climes and compete on our beaches. But Tasmania has a great, healthy surf-lifesaving environment and it augurs well for our society that we have that volunteer capacity and dedication from a wide range of age groups, but particularly have teenagers and people in their early 20s heavily participating. I commend all senators to look out for their surf-lifesaving clubs and support them.