SA considers mandatory inspections
The South Australian Planning Minister John Rau has released a swimming pool safety discussion paper.
The discussion paper asks the public, councils, organisations and businesses for feedback on measures that will improve current pool safety measures in South Australia.
The paper proposes considering one or more of the following measures:
• Introducing mandatory requirements for inspections via: appropriately qualified inspectors and certification of compliance; a database of swimming pools; adequate council policies for swimming pool inspections.
• Reviewing and consolidating compliance options for swimming pools which currently vary depending on factors, including the age of the pool or the date the application for approval was submitted.
The discussion paper takes into account recommendations from the 2010 Botten Levinson Review, the 2010 Review of Swimming Pool Legislation and Arrangements in South Australia, the Final Report of the South Australian Water Safety Committee and last month’s coronial findings into the death of one-year-old Bryce Ashton Eddleston. Submissions will be open until May 31, 2013 and it is anticipated that laws may be in place in time for next summer.
Darryl Wright, Executive Officer for the SA Water Safety Committee says that the committee considers the issue of swimming pool legislation, compliance and safety as a high priority as part of the Water Safety Strategy.
“We welcome the announcement by the Minister for Planning of the release of the discussion paper seeking public comment,” he says. “It is also pleasing to see that much of the work undertaken previously by the committee in this area is referenced within the document. We look forward to working with Government and the stakeholder organisations to ensure that as a community, we are taking all reasonable steps towards eliminating the risk of drowning in swimming pools.”
Alistair Baird of Australian Life Saving Supplies – an interested industry member who had previously headed the committee – says he is all for mandatory inspection, but will be interested to see how it pans out. “The Local Government Association is now keen to support this as long as they have a cost recovery method,” he says. “The LGA does not have enough inspectors and currently there is no training course or certification of inspectors in SA. Leading into an election in 2014 it’s a risky move as voters with pools may be against paying for what will be seen as a tax. The government quotes the WA model of a capped fee of $55. However, inspectors in SA charge from $150 to $250 and above.”
Baird says last time the legislation was reviewed the government went for mandatory inspection at point of sale, leaving real estate agents caught in the middle, trying to enforce legislation that had no checks and balances.
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