The Governor-General was especially interested in our efforts to ensure no child or adult misses out on learning to swim and survive, to champion the benefits and sustainability of community swimming pools, and our efforts to ensure that everyone, irrespective of postcode or background, has the opportunity to enjoy the water safely.

We talked about the essential role that community swimming pools play, whether for fun, fitness or social connection. We outlined how we are working to support the 500 pools nearing end of life, and to minimise any impacts of their loss on communities across Australia.

We talked about our shared love of swimming, and our concerns that more than 50% of children now leave primary school unable to reach basic swimming and water safety benchmarks - that is, swim 50m and float for 2 minutes.

The Governor-General is also Patron of the Refugee Council of Australia, so we talked about the momentum being generated to build bridges between refugees and their local pools. This work aims to boost swimming and water safety skills, local connections, health and wellbeing, and in many cases, to build pathways to work as pool lifeguards and swimming teachers.

The discussion took place after Her Excellency opened the National General Assembly of Local Government, where we were encouraged to see support for the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 and strategic approaches to community aquatic facility infrastructure reflected in motions before the Assembly.

Local government plays a critical role in water safety - from maintaining public pools to supporting swimming lessons, supporting lifesaving clubs and beach patrols, inland waterway management and local flood risk reduction initiatives.