Tawharanui is one of two new beaches that Surf Lifesaving wants to patrol. Photo / Alex Robertson
Tawharanui is one of two new beaches that Surf Lifesaving wants to patrol. Photo / Alex Robertson
The unpatrolled beach at Tawharanui Regional Park where a person drowned yesterday is one of two beaches that will get paid lifeguards next summer if a funding application is successful.
Surf Life Saving Northern Region is seeking an extra $455,000 from the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board (ARAFB), which distributesgrants to cultural, recreation, heritage and rescue facilities across the region.
Northern region chief executive Matt Williams said the extra funding would go to pay for extending patrol hours and the season at West Coast beaches and patrolling beaches with paid lifeguards at two new locations - Tawharanui and Te Arai.
“Tawharanui will be of special interest. We have had multiple drownings there in the previous year and one as recent as yesterday,” he said.
Six drownings at Auckland beaches since Friday, including two people at North Piha, have highlighted the need for the expansion of paid lifeguard hours and periods of duty.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said “this has been a very sad weekend for Aucklanders, and my sympathies go out to the families. As an avid surfer, I know that Auckland’s West Coast beaches can be challenging, but these fatal drownings are a tragic reminder that any beach can potentially be dangerous.”
A council spokesman said an assurance has been made to Surf Lifesaving Northern Region that the funding application will be considered. Photo / Alex Burton
Waitakere Ranges Local Board member Sandra Coney said the numbers of deaths are just appalling.
“I don’t think we are moving with the times. There are new populations in Auckland who are not familiar with how our beaches work. The best thing we can do is have the patrols on at the right time in the right places,” she said.
The Waitakere Ranges Local Board has been strongly advocating since last year for extended funding for paid lifeguards at West Coast beaches to enable patrols to operate later in the day and for more weeks of the year.
Currently, Surf Life Saving Northern Region receives about $1.4 million a year for running costs from (ARAFB) and WaterSafe Auckland receives about $1.1m for drowning prevention programmes.
The funding board was established by an Act of Parliament in 2008 to distribute regional grants funded by Auckland Council to cultural, recreational, heritage and rescue services.
Williams said the northern region body is working with Auckland Council on where it can be supported to grow in the future for paid and volunteer lifeguards. It lodged an application for an additional $455,000 last August but due to the local body elections, the application will not go to a council committee until early this year.
Waitakere Ranges Local Board member Sandra Coney says patrols need to be on at the right times in the right places Photo / Natalie Slade
“Auckland Council has the most sophisticated lifesaving delivery model in New Zealand … the Auckland Regional Amenities funding is the lifeline to surf lifesaving funding in Auckland,” he said.
Williams said in terms of where surf lifesaving needs to be in the future, he said the public need to use the services currently provided between the flags, saying it is foolhardy for the service to go further and further and cost more.
Council governance director Phil Wilson said the council received a report containing an application for additional funding from Surf Lifesaving Northern Region in late August last year.
Officers are now preparing to take the report to a committee, and a recommendation will then go to the ARAF Board for consideration in its future funding deliberations and separately be considered as part of the Annual Budget process, he said.
Wilson said in addition to funding through the amenities board, the council has provided funding to upgrade surf clubs, some surf clubs are on community leases that have peppercorn rentals and Local Boards sometimes contribute funding to surf events.
