Strong support for boat operator training

26/4/04
Recreational boat owners in Western Australia have voiced strong support for the introduction of compulsory safety training for powerboat operators.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan said a survey of boat owners across the State showed a 70 per cent support rate for a minimum level of training for boat drivers.
"The results confirm there is strong support for compulsory safety training for boat drivers from within the boating community," Ms MacTiernan said.
The information will be used in the development of a State-wide training scheme that is likely to exempt capable, experienced skippers and operators of small, low-powered dinghies.
Ms MacTiernan said mandatory training could be introduced without formal licensing.
"The focus will be on safety training," the Minister said.
More than 16,000 of the State's recreational boat owners participated in the survey, with all registered boat owners given the opportunity to respond.
Boat owners were also asked if they thought drivers of personal watercraft, or jetskis, should be required to undertake similar training - 70 per cent said yes.
Opinions were divided on other questions, including whether certain vessels should be exempt from training and whether experienced boat owners should sit a computerised assessment.
Ms MacTiernan said the number of responses to the survey had been well above expectations.
In WA an average of five lives are lost each year in marine related incidents - 60 per cent in the recreational sector.
"These deaths and incidents, and possibly many of the 1,300 sea search and rescues undertaken last year, may have been avoided if a basic level of safety and boating knowledge was required for all skippers on the water," Ms MacTiernan said.
"As the law currently stands, there is nothing to stop an untrained 17-year-old taking a high-powered launch to Rottnest with a bunch of mates for the weekend, risking the lives of his passengers and other water users - this is unacceptable.

"The number of responses to the survey reflects a high level of interest - I am pleased so many boat owners have taken the opportunity to contribute to the implementation of compulsory safety training in WA."
Ms MacTiernan urged organisations such as the Boating Industry Association to recognise the benefits of compulsory safety training for boat drivers.
"Compulsory safety training will ensure that skippers on our waterways have the knowledge and skill to handle a vessel without endangering their own life, those of their passengers or others enjoying the waterway," she said.
"A day of training will give people the ability to enjoy our waterways for a lifetime in the knowledge that they are not threatening the safety or enjoyment of others."
Ms MacTiernan said a comprehensive scheme would now be developed.
Guiding principles would include:

• any training should be at the minimal level required to gain the basic skills and knowledge and comply with national standards;
• recognition that operators with many years experience may have these skills and knowledge already and not require formal training;
• exclusion of owners of some vessels, dependent on vessel size and power;
• the existing BoatSmart course and the more advanced courses such as TL3 and TL5 and commercial skipper qualifications are all suitable training courses and would meet the requirements for training; and
• the scheme will be implemented gradually over two to three years.