Queensland Announces Biggest Pool Safety Review in 20 Years

Premier Anna Bligh has announced the biggest shake-up of pool safety laws in nearly 20 years.

A proposed state register of pools and mandatory inspections are part of the Queensland Government review into pool safety.

Ms Bligh said a pool safety advisory committee will be established to look at key areas of pool safety with new regulations ready to be in place next year.

“Queenslanders love our outdoor lifestyle and pools are an important part of that,” Ms Bligh said.

“But losing any child to a pool drowning is a tragedy and we need to do everything we can to prevent tragedies like this happening.

“We already have some of the toughest pool safety laws in the country but that does not mean they can’t be improved.”

The Premier said a single state-wide standard to replace Queensland’s existing 11 pool fencing standards would be considered.

“The review will also address concerns that pool fencing laws are not being adequately policed by local councils,” she said.

The Premier said the committee will be made up of key stakeholders, including child safety and local government representatives.

Organisations such as the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, Kidsafe Australia, the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors and the Swimming Pool and Spa Association of Queensland will be invited to take part.

“We will be asking the committee a series of hard questions and their answers will lead to improved pool safety laws and new pool fencing standards that will be the best in the world,” said the Premier.

The committee will be given wide-ranging powers to consider issues including:

• Developing and maintaining a register of swimming pools in Queensland
• Requiring mandatory ongoing inspections of swimming pools to ensure compliance.
• Widening swimming pool fencing laws to include all swimming pools in Queensland, not just outdoor swimming pools on residential land
• Inspections at the point of sale and timing of inspections on rental properties (similar to safety switch and smoke alarm inspections)
• Reducing the number of different swimming pool fencing standards (the standards currently vary according to the age of the pool)
• Adopting the latest Australian Standards for pool fencing, except for the provision that allows a child-resistant door to form part of the pool enclosure. These doors are prohibited in Queensland in pools built after 1 February 1991
• Restricting the ability of local councils to set different pool fencing standards to those required under state legislation
• Requiring building certifiers to inspect new pools within a set period after giving building approval, unless they have already done a final inspection (currently, a final inspection is only carried out on the pool owner’s request)

“Some of these options may be controversial but any option that could help save even one child from drowning is worth considering,” Ms Bligh said.

“The pool safety advisory committee will be asked to develop a draft report on its findings; the report will be released for public comment, allowing pool owners and other interest stakeholders to have their say too.

“The committee will also be asked to seek submissions from specific parties, such as drowning prevention, awareness and support groups.

“If the new initiatives save even one life, they will be worth it, however legislation and standards are no substitute for adult supervision, which remains the most effective way of preventing drowning.”

According to research, the risk of ‘unintentional immersions’ in unfenced pools is four times greater than in fenced pools.

Research also shows that pools surrounded by defective fences can be as risky as unfenced pools.

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