Kerre Woodham: Is it necessary to make wearing a life jacket a legal requirement?

Auckland Council wants to hear from you. It's consulting on proposed changes to the Auckland Navigational Bylaw. Right now, Clause 20 of the bylaw requires personal flotation devices, also known as life jackets, on vessels six metres and under. Unless, and here comes the thorny bit, unless the person in charge gives permission not to wear one. So that makes it all pretty cloudy, doesn't it? The proposed changes aim to clarify expectations and support safer decisions on the water. The proposed change to Clause 20 makes the rule clear, according to the council, and protects everyone on board. 

What they want to change to is personal flotation devices must be worn on recreational vessels six metres or less in length. So no faffing around with, oh, the person in charge says I don't have to – if you're on the boat, you wear them. Submissions opened yesterday and are open until the 7th of June 2026, so you've got a bit over a month to have your say.  

Is this sort of explicit rendering of the law necessary? Well, if you look at the stats, yes, it is. On average, between 15 to 20 people die every year in recreational boating accidents. And the majority of the accidents don't happen in rough seas miles from shore, they occur in the northern part of the North Island and in coastal waters within two kilometres of shore, and when you drill down, within 400 metres of shore. Vessel types: kayaks, canoes, small powerboats under six metres are the ones most frequently involved. Capsizing and falling overboard are the primary causes of accidents, often happening suddenly, and over half of those who died in the boating accidents were, guess what, not wearing a life jacket.  

So you can understand the frustration from Coastguard New Zealand, from the first responders turning up seeing the devastation that occurs when a loved one dies from what was supposed to be a fantastic day out. And it's all so unnecessary. With the right flotation device, you get wet and you go home, and a family's not torn apart. I understand that for a lot of people, going out on the boat is the last freedom. You know, the wind through your hair, if you've got any, the salt water and sound of the seabirds, the light glinting off the water, and you're catching food for dinner. It's a fantastic experience, but it can all go wrong so quickly. And being sorry is all very well and good. “Oh my god, I should have insisted they wear a life jacket.” Yeah, you should have and it's too late now. 

Do we leave it to God's little pruning fork? Like if you choose not to wear a life jacket and you know the stats, for heaven's sake, if you're a boatie, you know the stats. But is it a case of other people? Oh, it'll happen to other people. I'm very cautious, I'm very careful, I know what I'm doing. I can swim well. I was a lifesaver 42 years ago, I can look after the grandkids if anything happens. It's always other people until it isn't. But do you still want to be able to make your own choices and if the worst happens, oh well, there we go, it's just one of those things? Or should people be saved from their own stupidity and poor decisions? Every single boatie I know has really strict rules around their boat. When the kids go on board, they understand that the captain's in charge, you follow the rules, what he or she says goes, and life jackets are compulsory for everybody. It's not just for the kids and the adults don't wear them. Everybody wears them.  

I understand people want to go to hell in their own way, but I can also really understand the frustration of first responders and Coastguard who have to deliver the news to people back on shore that because the person they loved was wilful and obstinate and refused to believe that they were mortal, they're not going to be with them ever again.  To me, it seems a no brainer. And I'm sure if you're that sort of boatie, you'd be like, how can you not? How can you not insist that people stay safe? It's not an onerous burden these days. So do you just leave people to, like I say, go to hell in their own way? 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Carrywood and Morning's podcast from News
Talk Sad b.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Auckland Council wants to hear from you. It's consulting on
proposed changes to the Auckland Navigational by Law. Right now,
Clause twenty of the by law requires personal floatation devices
also known as life jackets, on vessels six meters in under.
And this here comes the thorn of it unless the

(00:34):
person in charge gives permission not to wear one. So
that makes it all pretty cloudy, doesn't it. The proposed
changes aim to fly, aim to clarify expectations and support
safer decisions on the water. The proposed changed to clause
twenty makes the rule clear, according to the Council, and

(00:58):
protects everyone on board. So what they want to change
to is personal flotation devices must be worn on recreational
vessels six meters or less in length, So no fannying
around with Oh, the person in charge says they don't
have to. If you're on the boat, you wear them.

(01:19):
Submissions opened yesterday and are open till the seventh of
June twenty twenty six, so you've got but over a
month to have you say, is this sort of explicit
rendering of the lord necessary. Well, if you look at
the stats, yes, it is on average between fifteen to

(01:41):
twenty people die every year in recreational boating accidents, and
the majority of the accidents don't happen in rough seas
miles from shore. They occur in the northern part of
the North Island and in coastal waters within two kilometers
of shore, and when you drill down within four hundred

(02:03):
meters of shore, vessel types kayaks, canoes, small power boats
under six meters are the ones most frequently involved. Capsize
and falling overboard are the primary causes of accidents, often
happening suddenly, and over half of those who died in

(02:24):
the boating accidents were guess what, not wearing a life jacket.
So you can understand the frustration from Coastguard New Zealand,
from the first responders turning up seeing the devastation that
occurs when a loved one dies from what was supposed

(02:45):
to be a fantastic day out and it's all so unnecessary.
With the right flotation device, you get wet and you
go home and a family's not torn apart. I understand
that for a lot of people going out on the

(03:06):
boat is the last freedom. You know, the wind through
your hair and if you've got any, and the salt
water and sound of the seabirds and the light glinting
of the water and you're catching food for dinner. It's
a fantastic experience. But it can all go wrong so quickly,

(03:32):
and being sorry is all very well and good. Oh
my god, I should have insisted they wear a life jet. Yeah,
you should have, and it's too late. Now do we
leave it to God's little bruning fork? Like if you
choose not to wear a life jacket and you know
the stats, for heaven's sake, if you're a boaty, you

(03:54):
know the stats. But is it a case of other people? Oh,
it'll happen to other people. I'm very cautious. I'm very careful.
I know what I'm doing. I can swim well, I
was a lifesaver forty two years ago. I can look
after the grandkids. If anything happens, it's always other people

(04:15):
until it isn't. But do you still want to be
able to make your own choices and if the worst happens, oh, well,
there we go. It's just one of those things. Or
should people be saved from their own stupidity and poor decisions.

(04:37):
And every single boaty I know has really strict rules
around their boat. When the kids go on board, they
understand that the captain's in charge, you follow the rules.
What he or she says goes. And life jackets and
compulsory for everybody. It's not just for the kids, and
the adults don't wear them. Everybody wears them. I understand

(05:03):
people want to go to hell in their own way,
but I can also really understand the frustration of first
responders and coastguard who have to deliver the news to
people back on shore that because the person they loved

(05:23):
was willful and obstinate and refused to believe that they
were mortal, they're not going to be with them ever again. Oh,
eight hundred eighty ten eighty is the number to call.
I'd love to get your feedback on this one. To me,
it seems a no brainer, And I'm sure if you're
that sort of boaty you'd be like, how can you not?

(05:47):
How can you not insist that people stay safe? It's
not an onerous burden these days? So do you just
leave people to, like I say, go to hell in
their own way?

Speaker 1 (05:58):
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