Behind the Flags

Professional lifeguards on patrol. Credit: Smart Beaches.

APOLA, the body representing Australia’s professional lifeguards, is looking to broaden its membership and infl uence. Nigel Benton reports

As identifiably Australian as kangaroos and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, lifeguards rank alongside the bushman and the digger as being true national icons. And since 2006, this image has been reinforced by reality TV show Bondi Rescue which has educated not only Australians but people around the world about the dangers of rip currents and the importance of swimming between the flags - a reality confirmed by a global survey of viewers by University of NSW researchers.

The popular series follows Waverley Council lifeguards at Bondi Beach in Sydney as they perform surf rescues and deal with other problems including shark scares, lost children, bluebottle stings, drunk beachgoers, thieves and a range of medical emergencies.

However, the public isn’t really aware of the difference between lifeguards and lifesavers, with lifesavers arguably having a higher domestic profile.

Lifeguards are paid local government professionals (or organisations paid by local government) who patrol beaches, as well as public aquatic facilities, up to 265 days a year.

By contrast, lifesavers, as defined by Surf Live Saving Queensland, are men and women who through communitybased clubs, volunteer their time to patrol beaches and waterways during the peak summer season.

While lifeguarding services are funded by local government, lifesavers are backed by the not-for-profit Surf Life Saving

Ocean rescue at Sydney’s Coogee Beach (above,credit: Shutterstock) and Waverley Council Lifeguards at Bondi Beach (opposite). Australia (SLSA), its state organisations and local branches - raising funds through the community, donations and support from Federal and State Governments.

With Australia’s increasing population and rising drowning toll, Federal and State Governments have provided record levels of funding to the Surf Life Saving movement over recent years with no additional resources for council-funded professional lifeguarding services.

Despite years of lobbying both Federal and State Governments by what was then the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association (APOLA) for direct specific funding for lifeguard services to Councils there has been no allocation to the local government sector.

State Governments make specific funds to councils for numerous purposes including roads, bridges, community

City of Newcastle Lifeguard Daniel Collins (above) and a lifeguard at the City of Melbourne’s Carlton Baths (below). APOLA now represents all professional lifeguards. Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins, Head of the Waverley Council’s lifeguards and the new President of the Australian Pool and Ocean Lifeguard Association.

buildings, aquatic centres and numerous community service programs including children’s playgrounds and libraries - yet nothing for Council lifeguard services.

In 2019, in correspondence sent to a range of politicians, including then Federal Sport Minister Bridget McKenzie and then NSW Minister for Local Government Gabrielle Upton, then APOLA President Greg Hackfarth advised “there needs to be a re-think in the allocation of funds for water safety (as) most of this funding is used for administration, mass media education programs and equipment such as IRBs (inflatable rescue boats) and drones, as well as risk assessment and subsequent reports.”

Hackfarth noted that “Surf Life Saving is a great organisation”, highlighting that he was once a ‘clubbie’, adding “I see the good that the volunteers do, however, let’s get something very clear. Volunteer Surf Life Savers do patrols at beaches for only 30-weekends per year and (on) nine public holidays.

“The risk assessments, reports and media water safety campaigns are just passive actions, they don’t directly save any lives as people can choose whether or not to watch a surf safety video or read a pamphlet, and I’ve yet to see a sign run into the water and rescue someone.”

In 2021, APOLA life member Ken Holloway told the Association’s annual conference “funding of professional lifeguards always comes back to local councils who are the main providers of those services - including rubbish collection, first aid, parking and showers.

“If money was to come from both Federal and State Governments directly for wages and lifeguards we could allocate resources to areas that are becoming very popular.”

Speaking of funding, Craig Riddington, founder of Surf Educators International (SEI) and a presenter at the 2021 APOLA conference, highlighted that “governments allocate a lot of funding for water safety but a lot of it is wasted.”

Riddington also noted that professional lifeguards have often been excluded from policymaking on ocean safety.

However, incoming APOLA National President, Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins (pictured above) is optimistic about direct funding coming from the new Federal Government and respective State Governments that could lift the current financial burden faced by Councils in meeting their lifeguarding service responsibilities.

Hopkins explains “while there remain many pressures on all levels of government because of the times we live in there is an increasing realisation by Federal and State Governments that councils need specific direct funding to ensure that essential Council lifeguard services are adequately financed not only for community safety but also for ensuring local business, and particularly communities reliant upon tourism, are able to be sustained and flourish.”

Hopkins assuming the APOLA Presidency comes as the Association this year changed its name to the Australian Pool and Ocean Lifeguard Association, with the word ‘pool’ replacing the word ‘professional’.

Explaining the change, Hopkins stated “lifeguards play a vital role in the safety of millions of people who use waterways, pools and the coast every day.”

By having APOLA as an industry body which will listen to the concerns of working lifeguards and to provide a forum where all matters relating to water safety can be discussed and outcomes reached is a healthy move forward for the industry.

The last organisation to represent both pool and ocean lifeguards was formed back in 1956. It was called the Pool Attendant and Beach Inspector Organisation but faded away by the mid 1960s leading to the formation of the Institute of Professional Lifeguards in 1973 - which later became known as APOLA.

APOLA’s local council lifeguard members have driven change and improvement in ocean safety in Australia for decades according to APOLA National Training Officer, Ian Lee.

Lee advised “from new physical standards introduced in the seventies, to adapting the malibu surfboards for rescue work in the sixties and now developing the ‘Smart Beaches’ program in 2022, lifeguards have played a major role in improving ocean safety.”

APOLA also sees that the aquatic industry is rapidly changing, aware that many local councils are looking for different options when renewing ageing aquatic assets or considering ways to increase revenue by adding facilities like wave pools.

With APOLA members having an abundance of experience and expertise in managing pools and beaches, the Association will be knocking on the door of all those involved in water safety to help them in their efforts to reduce drownings and serious injuries or how to develop their assets. Nigel Benton is Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management.