The extensive recommendations by the Queensland Coroner at the recent Rockhampton Rock Pool Water Park Drowning Inquest included a recommendation that the Workplace Health and Safety authorities should implement an anti-drowning safety alert system at public pools.
Yet Australasian Leisure Management has discovered that the Poseidon anti-drowning technology, as installed in more than 180 public pools around the world, no longer has an Australian distributor.
Queensland Coroner Annette Hennessy made the recommendation at the coronial inquest into the drowning of a nine-year-old boy at Rockhampton’s The Rock Pool Water Park in January 2007.
Blaming inadequate supervision by adults, the lifeguard operating the rocket, the pool operator and the boy’s lack of swimming ability as contributing to the boy’s death, Coroner Hennessy said she would like to see a public campaign reminding parents and guardians of the importance of watching their children; and that Workplace Health and Safety should implement a safety alert system to protect and alert the public and pool operators to such an incident.
Poseidon, the world’s leading anti-drowning system, was installed at Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope in NSW in 2007 by local distributor Third Watch. The system was retrofitted to BLCS’ existing 25 metre pool and at the time was seen by many as important pool safety innovation.
Yet beyond the BLCS installation, Third Watch received no further orders for the system and their distributorship for Australia and New Zealand ceased at the end of last year.
At the present time, France-based Poseidon can deal with inquiries, quotes and provide information on the system.
Nigel Benton, Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management. http://www.ausleisure.com/
The Poseidon system at Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope was featured in the November/December 2007 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.
Poseidon can be contacted on +33 683 877 314, E: tboeglin@poseidon-tech.com
www.poseidon-tech.com
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Leisure Election!
Prior to the last Australian Federal Election, then Prime Minister John Howard outlined how a potential budget surplus could be used to fund local infrastructure such as entertainment venues, sports stadia, aquatic centres and other community facilities.
In the somewhat different economic climate of the last three years, the Labor Government under the Prime Ministership of first Kevin Rudd and then Julia Gillard, have committed $800 million of funding for the type of infrastructure that John Howard suggested. This funding has been forthcoming under the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Programs while Government has also contributed additional funds to flagship entertainment and sporting facilities.
With the current Federal Election upon us, and political commentators lamenting the paucity of debate and policy differentials between the main political groups, it appears that pledges to fund leisure infrastructure projects have become a key area in which politicians are seeking to gain votes.
Ignoring the fiscal responsibility and belt tightening policies of other developed nations, Australia’s politicians have instead sought to attract votes through funding pledges for stadiums, sportsgrounds, surf education centres, waterparks and the like.
Into this policy vacuum, it has been encouraging to see several of the leisure industry’s peak and professional bodies take a lead in lobbying the major political parties. The Australian Leisure Facilities Association; the Australian Womensport and Recreation Association; performing arts peak bodies the Australian Performing Arts Centres Association, the Australian Major Performing Arts Group, and Live Performance Australia; a group of organisations committed to active transport along with fitness and weight loss industry leaders, have each made key policy and funding recommendations for Australia’s next Government to address.
Nigel Benton, Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management. http://www.ausleisure.com/
In the somewhat different economic climate of the last three years, the Labor Government under the Prime Ministership of first Kevin Rudd and then Julia Gillard, have committed $800 million of funding for the type of infrastructure that John Howard suggested. This funding has been forthcoming under the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Programs while Government has also contributed additional funds to flagship entertainment and sporting facilities.
With the current Federal Election upon us, and political commentators lamenting the paucity of debate and policy differentials between the main political groups, it appears that pledges to fund leisure infrastructure projects have become a key area in which politicians are seeking to gain votes.
Ignoring the fiscal responsibility and belt tightening policies of other developed nations, Australia’s politicians have instead sought to attract votes through funding pledges for stadiums, sportsgrounds, surf education centres, waterparks and the like.
Into this policy vacuum, it has been encouraging to see several of the leisure industry’s peak and professional bodies take a lead in lobbying the major political parties. The Australian Leisure Facilities Association; the Australian Womensport and Recreation Association; performing arts peak bodies the Australian Performing Arts Centres Association, the Australian Major Performing Arts Group, and Live Performance Australia; a group of organisations committed to active transport along with fitness and weight loss industry leaders, have each made key policy and funding recommendations for Australia’s next Government to address.
Nigel Benton, Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management. http://www.ausleisure.com/
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