Summer holiday swimming lessons made free after spate of drownings

A spate of children drowning and near-drowning incidents have prompted the Cook Labor Government to make summer holiday VacSwim lessons free this year. Speaking to reporters at the Balga public swimming pool on Monday, Premier Roger Cook and Education Minister Tony Buti said the free lessons would save families with two children $214 on the 10-day program. Dr Buti, a former VacSwim instructor, said the lessons were vital in learning how to swim in WA’s environment. The announcement comes after the drowning deaths of two six-year-olds in the Swan River on New Year’s Eve, and the near drowning of two 10-year-olds in early January in North Coogee. “We want to ensure there is no financial barrier for a kid to learn to swim and we by making these lessons now free and also pool entry free, we believe it removes that economic barrier,” he said. “We are a serious government when it comes to ensuring that our students learn to swim, because it is a part of surviving in the West Australian climate.” Dr Buti said 38,000 West Australian kids enrolled in VacSwim last year, and hoped the free program would mean that would increase over this summer. Mr Cook said WA saw the importance of swimming lessons last summer. “We all know the costs of making sure your kids get these skills in life,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for my government to just signal how important we believe swimming lessons are and how important we believe it is to assist people with the cost of living pressures.” The program will extend free pool entry to VacSwim students in the metropolitan area over December and January. Several regional pools in the Pilbara and the Kimberley will also get free entry from the September school holidays. In-term swimming lessons, which were made free for public school students recently, will also be discounted for about 10 private schools in low socio-economic areas under the program. While welcoming the program, Liberal leader Libby Mettam criticised the Government for raising VacSwim fees in 2017 from $13.50 to $30, as part of budget savings measures. “Let’s not forget, Roger Cook was at the cabinet table when they agreed to hike VacSwim fees up 122 per cent when they first came into office,” Ms Mettam. “It’s as if Roger Cook has just worked out that families are struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over their head.”