Turning lifejacket law change into safer behaviour – Maritime NZ

The Safer Boating Forum brings together about 35 organisations involved in preventing harm in recreational boating. Its annual meeting, held at the start of Safer Boating Week, centred on the theme From law change to lasting behaviour change. 

Associate Minister of Transport Hon James Meager joined via video and spoke about the journey to pass the Maritime Transport (Lifejackets on Recreational Craft) Amendment Act and the next step: putting the law into practice to prevent harm and save lives. He thanked the boating community and volunteers for their contribution. 

Forum Chair Sharyn Forsyth said the change was ultimately about the people it would protect and the lives it could save. 

Maritime NZ Director and Chief Executive Kirstie Hewlett highlighted the strong sector partnerships that helped make the change possible. 

Speakers representing three priority audiences identified in the Recreational Craft Harm Prevention Strategy shared how community-led and co-designed initiatives can make safer boating advice more relevant and effective. 

Jury Greenland and Michelle Reti, who discussed “Nobody’s Stronger than Tangaroa”, are based in Whangārei, where they predominantly work with Māori communities to deliver safe diving education that incorporates three safety messages: 

The programme uses a mixed intervention model, including a mobile education caravan, marae involvement and community festivals. It received community grants funding to support it.  

Members of the Tongan Boat Safety Project and Chinese Boat Safety Project also described how they work with Coastguard to provide safer boating education in culturally relevant ways, both in person and online. 

A consistent message from all three groups was that safety information works best when it is delivered by trusted people, in language and settings that connect with their communities. 

The Forum also considered barriers to accessing correctly fitted, well-maintained lifejackets. These include limited availability of larger sizes and a lack of information in relevant languages. Members also discussed gaps in detailed information about fatalities involving people who were wearing lifejackets, including the condition of those lifejackets. 

The Recreational Craft Harm Prevention Programme will work with the Recreational Craft Governance Group and the Forum’s Leadership Group to identify practical ways to reduce these barriers.