Published 22 July 2026
Australia's Water Safety Leaders Unite to Turn the Tide on Drowning
More than 220 of Australia's leading water safety experts, policymakers, researchers and practitioners will gather in Sydney this week for the National Water Safety Summit 2026, strengthening collaboration and advancing the actions needed to reduce drowning across Australia.
Presented by Royal Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia on behalf of the Australian Water Safety Council, the two-day Summit is Australia's leading national forum dedicated to drowning prevention. The event brings together representatives from government, health, education, local government, lifesaving organisations, aquatic facilities, researchers, emergency services and community organisations.
The 2026 program focuses on activating the priority actions, strengthening collaboration across sectors and accelerating progress towards the Australian Water Safety Strategy's goal of halving drowning by 2030.
The Summit is centred around the Strategy's three National Imperatives:
- Swimming and water safety skills for all – Strengthen government programs; Ensure no one misses out; Retention beyond age 7; Infrastructure and workforce.
- Localising water safety efforts – Empower local action; Bring together groups; Create coalitions; and Develop plans.
- Aligning policies and partnerships for change – Whole of government approaches; Whole of society approaches; Scaled resources for impact; Generate and celebrate success.
Across two days, delegates will explore the latest research, innovation and best practice through keynote presentations, panel discussions and interactive workshops focused on the issues that matter most.
Dr Justin Scarr, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Life Saving Australia, said the Summit represents an important opportunity for the sector to unite around evidence, collaboration and action.
"We know what works to prevent drowning - now every level of government, every organisation and every community need to act together if we're going to turn the tide on drowning," Dr Scarr said.
"Too many people are still missing out on learning to swim and survive simply because of where they live or their background and closing that gap has to be at the heart of what we do next."
Adam Weir, Chief Executive Officer of Surf Life Saving Australia, said collaboration across the sector has never been more important.
“The Summit provides a vital forum for representatives from across the country to come together, to align on key priorities and to work collectively to drive real, meaningful change. From beaches to local waterways, the challenges are complex, but we know progress is achievable when we share information, embrace innovation, build upon strong partnerships, and act together.”
The Summit coincides with the United nation’s World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July. This year's theme, “unite to turn the tide””, and links to the newly launched Global Strategy for Drowning Prevention.
Globally, more than 300,000 people lose their lives to drowning every year, making it one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide. Children and young people remain disproportionately affected, while more than 90 per cent of drowning deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Australia continues to be recognised internationally for its evidence-informed approaches to drowning prevention, the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 and its contribution to the World Health Organization's global efforts to reduce drowning.
The National Water Safety Summit 2026 demonstrates Australia's ongoing commitment to building safer communities, strengthening partnerships and supporting the global ambition that anyone can drown, but no one should.
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About the National Water Safety Summit
The National Water Safety Summit is Australia's leading forum for drowning prevention and water safety, presented by Royal Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia on behalf of the Australian Water Safety Council. The 2026 Summit brings together more than 200 delegates from government, industry, research, education, health and community organisations to advance implementation of the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030.
For more information visit: https://www.watersafety.com.au/
Media Contact
Monique Sharp National Manager – Marketing and Events
Royal Life Saving Australia
