November 3, 2025 • 6 mins
WA Education Minister Sabine Winton phoned in to discuss the importance of swimming lessons and the importance of water safety.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We recently learned that WA has the worst rounding statistics
in the country, and heading into summer, we want to
talk about the importance of knowing how to swim and
also knowing CPR. Today WA education ministers have been Winton
is joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Good morning, Good morning, Lisa Russell, thank you so.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Much for your time. Now, it has been reported that
w WA has the worst drowning statistics in the nation.
Just yesterday the West reported more than three people almost
round in w WA every week last summer. So, from
your department, what are the specific targets set for this year.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, so in terms of when you talk about my department,
of course I'm the Minister for Education, so my focus
and goal is to make sure that we provide quality
swimming lessons and water safety to as many students as
possible throughout the state. And of course, in that regard,
we're in our one hundred it's one hundred and first
(01:01):
year of providing interm swimming lessons to all school students
right around the States and you know, we have the
most comprehensive program anywhere in Australia and indeed the Southern Hemisphere,
and we need to continue to promote that to make
sure in the first instance, kids have those water safety skills.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Are they compulsory those classes? I mean, you'd be mad
not to, but are they?
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Look, we know the majority of schools, in fact, over
eight hundred schools, some two hundred thousand students each year
participate in our interm swimming classes throughout the States. It's
a huge logistical exercise, but it's one that's been going
for many, many years, and it's part and powerful of
the curriculum in school in schools.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Right around WA Is that just for primary school though?
That doesn't take over into high school though, does it?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah? No, Our interm swimming classes are geared towards students
from five from when they start school pre primary.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
I think it is.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Right through to seventeen. But you would also be aware
that some schools choose different kinds of programs as kids
head into high school. I know predominantly primary schools take
up this offer because it's really important get to get
kids early when they're really really young, to establish that
really great attitude, positive attitude towards swimming, but also important
(02:30):
to develop those water safety skills because they go together.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Sometimes getting two children in regional, remote or indigenous and
multicultural communities who traditionally have lower participation rates for you know,
obvious reasons, it can be trickier. How are you ensuring
equitable access to their swimming and water safety lessons?
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, look, it's a great question because we all know
we've got a great state, but it's a vast state
and challenging for particularly regional remotes and to really sort
of guests to continue our investment and continue that success
of that in term swimming program, we've established the Special
School of Water Safety, sorry Swimming and Water Safety over
(03:13):
three million dollars to help better coordinate our efforts in
making sure that all kids, no matter where they are
in the state, have access to this really critically important
skill to ensure that when we go out and enjoy
Western Australia the water that we do so particularly kids
and young people, in a safe way and have them
(03:36):
required skills to keep themselves.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Minister, it was reported last year that there was actually
a bit of a shortage of qualified swimming instructors. So
what are the government doing in order to recruit and
train and retain some of those much needed swimming instructors.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, look, it is a challenge to get qualified staff
in a variety of industries, can I say, and swimming
instructors are no different, and that has been a particular
focus of our newly established school to make sure that
we continue to find not any school leavers university students,
but also to support local people living in regional areas
(04:16):
to provide them with the training and expertise to take
up those roles because we know, certainly I've taught and
worked in the Bush, there is a bunch of people
who live in those communities who are capable of taking
up those positions, and so we want to make sure
that we provide the training and support for local people
to do that important work.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Yeah. Well, the Vacswim holiday swimming program was free this
past December January period, which is fantastic and of course
it was a huge hit. Are there plans to continue
that access this year?
Speaker 2 (04:50):
And yes, yeah, Lisa Vakswim. So for those listeners. So firstly,
we talked about interm swimming, which is when kids go
swimming as part of their normal school day and that's
husually successful. Some two hundred thousand plus students participate and
vas wheen of course, those programs that are held in
October and also traditionally over the summer period where that
(05:15):
that program has been going for over one hundred and
seven years and has always and I really want to
stress this has always been heavily subsidized and affordable for
families and continues to be so. Right.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Well, you know, one of the statistics that really surprised
me to have been was how it's the younger kids
actually that are the lower rate of drownings these days,
and it's us older ones that are you know, pushing
up those US older ones that are.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Pushing up those statistics.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
So this is all really good news. You know, if
you know, if the kids get access to these things
and they learn how to swim, we might be able
to reverse that statistic.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Remind us of a few lessons.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah yeah, look a look, and I think you know
there is no substitute for being diligent when we go
and enjoy our great environment in Western Australia and swimming
lessons are important, but it's also important to keep yourself
safe and keep your mates safe and look after each other.
We've got plenty of great safe places to swim, including
(06:20):
between the flags, and it's a it's a good reminder
to have this conversation that, irrespective of what our past
swimming history is, water is a dangerous place and we
all need to look out for ourselves and each other.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
All right, Well, thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Thank you minister.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Hey, look, I really think it's a great conversation.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Really appreciating this
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Early before summer hits and everybody hits hits the water
We recently learned that WA has the worst rounding statistics
in the country, and heading into summer, we want to
talk about the importance of knowing how to swim and
also knowing CPR. Today WA education ministers have been Winton
is joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Good morning, Good morning, Lisa Russell, thank you so.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Much for your time. Now, it has been reported that
w WA has the worst drowning statistics in the nation.
Just yesterday the West reported more than three people almost
round in w WA every week last summer. So, from
your department, what are the specific targets set for this year.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, so in terms of when you talk about my department,
of course I'm the Minister for Education, so my focus
and goal is to make sure that we provide quality
swimming lessons and water safety to as many students as
possible throughout the state. And of course, in that regard,
we're in our one hundred it's one hundred and first
(01:01):
year of providing interm swimming lessons to all school students
right around the States and you know, we have the
most comprehensive program anywhere in Australia and indeed the Southern Hemisphere,
and we need to continue to promote that to make
sure in the first instance, kids have those water safety skills.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Are they compulsory those classes? I mean, you'd be mad
not to, but are they?
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Look, we know the majority of schools, in fact, over
eight hundred schools, some two hundred thousand students each year
participate in our interm swimming classes throughout the States. It's
a huge logistical exercise, but it's one that's been going
for many, many years, and it's part and powerful of
the curriculum in school in schools.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Right around WA Is that just for primary school though?
That doesn't take over into high school though, does it?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah? No, Our interm swimming classes are geared towards students
from five from when they start school pre primary.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
I think it is.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Right through to seventeen. But you would also be aware
that some schools choose different kinds of programs as kids
head into high school. I know predominantly primary schools take
up this offer because it's really important get to get
kids early when they're really really young, to establish that
really great attitude, positive attitude towards swimming, but also important
(02:30):
to develop those water safety skills because they go together.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Sometimes getting two children in regional, remote or indigenous and
multicultural communities who traditionally have lower participation rates for you know,
obvious reasons, it can be trickier. How are you ensuring
equitable access to their swimming and water safety lessons?
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, look, it's a great question because we all know
we've got a great state, but it's a vast state
and challenging for particularly regional remotes and to really sort
of guests to continue our investment and continue that success
of that in term swimming program, we've established the Special
School of Water Safety, sorry Swimming and Water Safety over
(03:13):
three million dollars to help better coordinate our efforts in
making sure that all kids, no matter where they are
in the state, have access to this really critically important
skill to ensure that when we go out and enjoy
Western Australia the water that we do so particularly kids
and young people, in a safe way and have them
(03:36):
required skills to keep themselves.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Minister, it was reported last year that there was actually
a bit of a shortage of qualified swimming instructors. So
what are the government doing in order to recruit and
train and retain some of those much needed swimming instructors.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, look, it is a challenge to get qualified staff
in a variety of industries, can I say, and swimming
instructors are no different, and that has been a particular
focus of our newly established school to make sure that
we continue to find not any school leavers university students,
but also to support local people living in regional areas
(04:16):
to provide them with the training and expertise to take
up those roles because we know, certainly I've taught and
worked in the Bush, there is a bunch of people
who live in those communities who are capable of taking
up those positions, and so we want to make sure
that we provide the training and support for local people
to do that important work.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Yeah. Well, the Vacswim holiday swimming program was free this
past December January period, which is fantastic and of course
it was a huge hit. Are there plans to continue
that access this year?
Speaker 2 (04:50):
And yes, yeah, Lisa Vakswim. So for those listeners. So firstly,
we talked about interm swimming, which is when kids go
swimming as part of their normal school day and that's
husually successful. Some two hundred thousand plus students participate and
vas wheen of course, those programs that are held in
October and also traditionally over the summer period where that
(05:15):
that program has been going for over one hundred and
seven years and has always and I really want to
stress this has always been heavily subsidized and affordable for
families and continues to be so. Right.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Well, you know, one of the statistics that really surprised
me to have been was how it's the younger kids
actually that are the lower rate of drownings these days,
and it's us older ones that are you know, pushing
up those US older ones that are.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
Pushing up those statistics.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
So this is all really good news. You know, if
you know, if the kids get access to these things
and they learn how to swim, we might be able
to reverse that statistic.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Remind us of a few lessons.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah yeah, look a look, and I think you know
there is no substitute for being diligent when we go
and enjoy our great environment in Western Australia and swimming
lessons are important, but it's also important to keep yourself
safe and keep your mates safe and look after each other.
We've got plenty of great safe places to swim, including
(06:20):
between the flags, and it's a it's a good reminder
to have this conversation that, irrespective of what our past
swimming history is, water is a dangerous place and we
all need to look out for ourselves and each other.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
All right, Well, thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Thank you minister.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Hey, look, I really think it's a great conversation.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Really appreciating this
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Early before summer hits and everybody hits hits the water
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