Published 7 July 2026

Featured: Mayor Jasmin Jones, Dep Mayor Myra Murrihy, RJ Houston, Cr Daniel Mackrell, Mayor Brett Tessari

Councils unite behind water safety and community pool investment

Councils from across Australia have backed two nationally significant motions at the Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly.

The passed motions:

• recognise the essential role of local government in implementing the Australian Water Safety Strategy and achieving the 2030 drowning reduction targets; and
• call for a coordinated national investment program to renew, replace and modernise council-owned public swimming and aquatic facilities.

The motions were informed by Royal Life Saving Australia's research and evidence, highlighting the important role data plays in shaping policy and investment decisions.

The motions reinforce the essential role councils play in delivering water safety outcomes. As managers of beaches, rivers, lakes and inland waterways, and as owners and operators of public aquatic facilities, local governments are central to creating safer communities and ensuring people have access to places where they can learn lifelong swimming and water safety skills.

Royal Life Saving's research highlights why further investment in aquatic facilities is so important:

• One in two children do not meet Australia's national swimming and water safety benchmarks.
• One in four people across Australia do not have reasonable access to a public swimming pool.
• Around 500 public pools, many in regional communities, are approaching the end of their functional lifespan.

These motions add momentum for the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030, which calls on all levels of government to strengthen partnerships, localise water safety initiatives, and ensure every person living in Australia has the opportunity to develop swimming and water safety skills, regardless of their background or postcode.

Speaking in support of the motions, Mayor Cr Jordan Lockett of Moyne Shire Council highlighted the importance of aquatic facilities for regional communities throughout the year.

"Fantastic to see strong support for this nationally significant motion. In South-west Victoria, while we have beautiful beaches, it's often colder than Canada, and so our community needs a safe place to learn swimming and water safety skills and keep up their swimming fitness over the winter months. Also pools are great for our ageing population to stay physically and socially fit. We support the need for greater funding and support for ageing pools and upgrades, particularly in regional communities."

Mayor Cr Jasmin Jones of Yass Valley Council reinforced the broader community value of public aquatic facilities.

"Renewing a sixty-year-old pool is beyond the normal rates base of any regional council, which is why federal support is essential. Aquatic facilities create resilience and are critical for health, safety, and community inclusion. We are calling for national investment to ensure that learning to swim remains a life-saving skill that is just as accessible for country kids as it is for those in the city."

Campaspe Shire Mayor Cr Daniel Mackrell highlighted the importance of investment for communities living along one of Australia's highest drowning risk environments.

"Communities along the Murray River are at some of the highest drowning risk in Australia. Our children need safe, accessible and sustainable aquatic facilities so they can learn swimming and water safety skills and cool off in the summer months in safe and supervised environments. We are grateful for the work of Royal Life Saving Australia in championing community pools and swimming and water safety skills for all children across Australia, and are calling for greater national investment in aquatic facilities."

Royal Life Saving Australia welcomes the strong support shown by local governments and looks forward to continuing to work with councils and governments across the country to implement the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030. Together, we can strengthen community safety, improve access to aquatic facilities, and ensure every child and every community has the opportunity to develop the swimming and water safety skills needed to enjoy the water safely for life.

Royal Life Saving Australia, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Justin Scarr said. "The strong support shown by local governments sends a clear message that water safety is a shared responsibility, and community pools are essential infrastructure, not optional extras,"

"Every child deserves the opportunity to learn swimming and water safety skills, and every community deserves access to safe, sustainable aquatic facilities. These motions recognise the vital role councils play in achieving those outcomes and provide important momentum for a nationally coordinated approach to investing in the infrastructure and partnerships needed to prevent drowning.