Water Getting Deeper for Council

COUNCIL’S claims that the new age restrictions at local swimming pools is due to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Child Sexual assault have been refuted by the Attorney General’s office which oversaw the Commission.

See related stories: Pool Rules Changed – Kicked Out and Editorial: Parents Know Best, Not Council.

On Sunday scone.com.au received a text message from the general manager of Council stating, “the review of requirements for children supervision are in accordance with the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.”

However, an email yesterday from the Attorney General’s office to scone.com.au stated, “The Final Report does not include recommendations about an age requirement for children to attend swimming pools unsupervised by an adult.”

Some concerned residents were advised by Council that the new age restrictions came from Royal Lifesaving Australia, the peak industry body responsible for aquatic safety and national standards.

However, when scone.com.au spoke to the organisation directly they confirmed they had issued no such guidelines or restrictions.

Craig Roberts, national manager of operations for Royal Lifesaving Australia explained.

“Our age entry is based on drowning risk of children drowning and nothing else,” said Mr Roberts.

“Facilities have to take into consideration our recommendations in terms of drowning and also their own broader issues in that space,” he said.

“We say someone should be supervised by an adult at all times, in terms of entry someone who is 16 years or older who is with them and nobody under the age of 10 should be unsupervised at any time,” he said.

“That is based on research into swimming ability and research into drownings,” he said.

“It’s ultimately up to the Council and their decision…we provide that minimum guideline or benchmark in terms of safety,” Craig Roberts said.

The old rules of entry at Scone pool were inline with the recommendations of the Royal Lifesaving Australia.

scone.com.au has asked Council for further information on what they based their new rules upon.

Further, the decision to change entry ages to the pool was an operational decision made by Council staff and not voted on by Councillors.