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Five NT pools closed, more at risk warns lifesaving body
Royal Lifesaving Australia reports that remote Northern Territory community pools are closing due to aging infrastructure and funding gaps, with nine of 19 pools over 30 years old.
In brief
Royal Lifesaving Australia reports that remote Northern Territory community pools are closing due to aging infrastructure and funding gaps, with nine of 19 pools over 30 years old. Five remote Northern Territory community pools have closed and nine more have infrastructure over thirty years old. Royal Lifesaving…
Five pools have closed across remote NT
Royal Lifesaving Australia's new report found five community pools have closed across nineteen remote pools in the Northern Territory. Nine of the nineteen pools have infrastructure more than thirty years old.
Mutitjulu pool shows what works
Mutitjulu, home to the Anangu people at the base of Uluru, built its pool in two thousand thirteen using money from Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.The community now funds operational costs with the Central Land Council.
Elder Rita Jingo pushed for the pool
Anangu elder and traditional owner Rita Jingo said her parents pushed for the pool to be built because there were few alternatives.
“It's really important to make something for our kids to have a place where they can have a swim.”
School attendance policy linked to pool
Mutitjulu introduced a yes school, yes pool policy to encourage children to attend class. Children who go to school get a wrist band allowing them to use the pool.
Fragmented funding and aging assets blamed
Royal Lifesaving Australia's report found fragmented and limited funding, aging assets and workforce shortages are contributing factors to pool closures. The report warns that without urgent coordinated investment, more pools will close.
“without urgent, coordinated investment in workforce, infrastructure and operational models, more pools will close”
NT has highest drowning rate in Australia
Royal Lifesaving NT executive director Floss Roberts said the Northern Territory has three times more likely to drown than other states and territories. Access to functioning pools means children can learn to swim.
“We have the highest drowning rate per capita in Australia, so three times more likely to drown in the Northern Territory than other states and territories.”
Previous report recommendations ignored
A two thousand ten report made nineteen recommendations for pool improvements. Most were not actioned, and five of those nineteen pools have now closed, Roberts said.
“We had a 2010 report with 19 recommendations for improvements for the pools and the community, most of those weren't actioned and in this report we already have five of those pools closed.”
Lifesaving body calls for government action
Royal Lifesaving NT wants local, territory and federal governments to work together to find a solution. Roberts said pools need to be recognised as essential infrastructure requiring urgent investment and supported workforce.
“This can be fixed, it could be fixed quite easily if the right people come together.”
What matters most
Five remote Northern Territory community pools have closed and nine more have infrastructure over thirty years old. Royal Lifesaving Australia is calling for pools to be declared essential infrastructure with urgent coordinated funding to prevent further closures.
