I want to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. 

Together we stand on the shoulders of 1600 generations of First Nations people and that is our shared history. 

I’d like to acknowledge my parliamentary colleagues, in particular Matt Thistlethwaite who is incredibly passionate about water safety and has helped raise significant awareness of the need for greater education. 

Thanks to Alexandra Ash and Justin Scarr from the Royal Life Saving Society, Adam Weir from Surf Life Saving and our distinguished guests here today. 

I’d also like to acknowledge John Baker AM ESM, President of Surf Life Saving Australia, who passed away earlier this month. 

John was a brilliant surf life saver who dedicated his life to the movement - as a proud member of the Brighton Surf Life Saving Club and active crew member of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. 

John left an incredible legacy, and a huge void in the room today.  

My deepest condolences to his and the surf lifesaving family. 

2025 National Drowning Report 

Today marks the release of the 31st National Drowning Report. 

Sadly, the headline is we lost 357 lives to drowning in the 12 months to July 2025. 

Each life lost to drowning is an avoidable tragedy. 

That’s despite parents, mates, even strangers, looking out for each other in the water. 

That’s despite the endless work from surf life savers rescuing an estimated 10,000 people every year. 

That's despite all the work in school and at pools, the campaigns and the research.  

BUT… we still had 357 tragedies. The numbers are stark and astonishing.  

If you speak to the typical Aussie, chances are they’ll tell you the average drowning is an overconfident tourist pulled into a rip. 

Or an unsupervised toddler stumbling into a pool.  

But they’re not your average drownings.  

In fact, incidents for children under 5 years of age are down by around 20% on the last decade. 

But no, in 2025 your average drowning is a regional bloke in his mid-60s, in a river, who moments earlier was enjoying a great Australian pastime.   

This underlines the importance of the 2025 National Drowning Report, it tells us where we can direct our efforts to reduce further needless tragedies. 

So, what can we do to make people realise water safety doesn't discriminate? 

Future initiatives 

As a government, we’ll continue to work hand-in-hand with everyone in this room on water safety.  

We’re proud to partner with and support the Royal Life Saving Society Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia. 

We’re continuing to fund the Water and Snow Safety Program – with $34.9 million over two years from July last year, allocated to water and snow safety organisations. 

We’re funding over 300 Surf Life Saving clubs nationwide with $10,000 per year to keep them doing what they do best.  

And, the Albanese Government is providing $5 million dollars over two years to deliver swimming and water safety programs to Australia's multicultural communities, helping to address the growing number of drownings among Australians born overseas. 

But life guards, surf life savers and the iconic red and yellow flags can’t be at every creek, dam, and billabong in the country.  

Each Australian needs to do their part: help teach their kids to swim and survive, call out risky behaviour at the swimming hole, and remind friends and family to strap up their life jacket before they get on a boat. 

Conclusion 

We know nearly a third of all drownings happen in the December to January period.  

And the Bureau of Meteorology have already advised we’re expecting warmer days for most of the country coming into summer. 

That means more Aussies at our beaches, waterways and pools taking in our favourite summer activities in, on or nearby the water.  

Together, we can start reducing the rate of tragedies. 

That time starts now. Thank you.