Drownings
January 12th, 2013 at 11:00 am by David FarrarToday’s Herald story is:
The Government is being urged to stump up the cash for surf lifesavers and Coastguard operations, as figures show New Zealand has the third highest drowning rate in the OECD.
Yesterday’s Herald story was:
New Zealand had its lowest drowning death toll in six years last year
Now the two stories are not contradictory but I find it puzzling that the stat on the lowest toll in the last six years wasn’t included in today’s story. It is clearly relevant to the story.
In terms of the international comparisons, I presume they are per capita. What would be interesting is if they could be calculated in terms of number of days spent doing water activities.
Having said all that, I’m not against more resources in this area. Our rate is much higher than Australia’s and they certainly spend as much time on the water as we do, if not more.
January 12th, 2013 at 11:05 am
We must look to the example set by Lichtenstein, Switzerland and Afghanistan.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 11:16 am
New Zealand has the longest coast line per person
Vote:The highest number of boats per person
some of the wildest weather
And still has wild places to play in
to compare our drowning rate with the continental country’s is stupid
January 12th, 2013 at 11:22 am
Doncha just love the magical solution to every problem, real and imagined, is more “government money”.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 11:23 am
Just don’t go down the path that Queensland has. One lady wasn’t supervising her toddler properly and it drowned in a swimming pool, so she went on a campaign about pool safety. Now it’s not worth having a pool at all because of all the compliance issues.
Vote:BTW Southeast Queensland has more boats per capita than pretty much anywhere in the world, and it’s managed pretty well with an affordable licensing and registration system.
January 12th, 2013 at 11:28 am
Ha It seems Griff took you seriously davinci…priceless.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 11:51 am
Ah! Vee ah starting to notice the trehnd tovords using stats and the comparison model, Ya?
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 11:54 am
Darwin.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 11:55 am
Another thing to fret about – drunk senior citizens on trampolines.
We need a Royal Commision perhaps
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 12:55 pm
Griff, not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But we already knew that by his stance on AGW.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 1:37 pm
again manalulu are you obsessed with me?
Sorry manalulu I have a partner and dont do hide the sausage up mens bottom thing so there will be no reciprocal infatuation.
Does it frighten you that someone who adds to debate and has a more informed position on science is posting on kb?
Vote:Dont worry manalulu we dont mind that your one line contributions have little actual content and absolutely no argument it takes all sorts
January 12th, 2013 at 1:48 pm
The Government is being urged to stump up the cash for surf lifesavers and Coastguard operations
Who ever wrote the srticle has no fucking idea, surprise. And the nob wanting more money certainly doesn’t.
I’m sure the life guards stationed 13 miles off Bluff would have saved the people who drowned mutton birding.
I’m sure coastguard would have saved the toddler who fell into a irrigation ditch at Galatea.
I’m sure the coastguard and the life savers would have been on hand at 11.pm off Waiheke following the boatload of people going out with no life jackets on.
I’m sure life guards would have happened to be on the lake just at the time to save the two who were out in the dark full of meth.
If only the government would just get off its arse nothing would ever happen to anyone ever again.
Good to see you Lofty
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
Pauleastbay – a coastguard might not have saved the boatload of people at Waiheke but a compulsory boating license for the skipper might have.
Vote:Better parental supervision of the toddler at Galatea might have made a difference too.
January 12th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Bugger off gazza, a compulsory anything will not stop fuck wits. Idiots die every day on the roads and they have compulsory licences, doesn’t mean a thing.
Your take on the toddler death is right, a parents job not the government. Its only a matter of time before some idiot makes cockies swimming pool fence off all the irrigation ditches anyway and sends the last farmer broke, they already have to put stock fencing up to stop pollution so its only a matter of time.
Have a look at our politicians, who in their right mind would believe those wankers have any ideas to offer anyway except more compliance costs.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 2:23 pm
How does licensing change the behavior of idiots gazzman?.
Having to get a license does not instantly make you a careful knowledgeable or safe skipper it gives you a piece of paper.
The cost of enforcement and the bureaucracy involved diverts money better spent else where.
Both accidents and idiots will still happen.
All you would see is a flotilla of busybody Hitlers patrolling the more inhabited boating locations collecting more tax.
Coastguard and the marine safety organization are both against regulation for these reasons.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
You’re forgetting that the greedies own the foreshore & seabed & when our useless left leaning Supreme Court judges are finished kissing the arses of the Tangata Whenua, probably the rivers too. As such it is surely the owners’ responsibility to fence off these hazards.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 4:19 pm
Bravo, and let’s have free kittens for everyone.
Vote:January 12th, 2013 at 5:03 pm
1. It ensures that everyone on the water has a minimum amount of training in how to handle a vessel, navigation, safety, and maritime rules.
Vote:2. In Queensland if you are found to be drunk in charge of a vessel you lose your motor vehicle license too (they’re on the same piece of plastic). That tends to stop idiots going out and drinking in their boats all day.
January 12th, 2013 at 5:09 pm
Forgot –
Vote:3. Fisheries officers and police in Queensland are responsible for each other’s jurisdictions – so if you get stopped by a fisheries officer at the boat ramp they also inspect your license, the check that you’ve got enough life jackets onboard, they can breathalyse you, etc. Ditto if you are stopped by the water police, your fish will be inspected too.
And yes, I have been in a vessel that was approached by a fisheries officer (I wasn’t skipper) and yes they did inspect everything. And yes, with well over 200,000 registered recreational vessels in Southeast Queensland they need and have police who regularly patrol the busiest areas.
January 14th, 2013 at 3:35 am
At least they weren’t beaten to death in their own home by a gang of evil pricks in this ever more violent country.
Is that lowest death toll in six years per capita, or lowest death toll in six years total numbers? Yes I could try to look it up. No I’m not going to. I might later.
As in… if 40 drowned in 1987 and 40 in 2007… the rate has gone down per capita for eg.
Vote: