Government Lets School Water Safety Sink

new-zealand-first-party

Wed Dec 30 2015 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Government Lets School Water Safety Sink

Wednesday, 30 December 2015, 11:43 am
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

Tracey Martin
Spokesperson for Education

30 DECEMBER 2015

Government Lets School Water Safety Sink

New Zealand First says the Government urgently needs to fund school pools, with eight drownings since Christmas Day and the 2015 Drowning Toll over 100.

"In what has been dubbed a Black Christmas for drownings, New Zealand First renews our call for school pools to be properly supported by this government,” says Education Spokesperson, Tracey Martin.

“Most drowning fatalities correspond with those aged under 44 and that fits with how successive governments have neglected school pools.

"New Zealand First calls for those schools with pools, to have immediate access to their five year property funding for existing pool maintenance, ready for the start of the 2016 academic year.

"By releasing this funding now, those school pools at risk will be saved and communities will be confident of future maintenance costs being met when they fundraise for new pools.

“Tackling the Drowning Toll will not happen without supporting our school pools and starting to reverse closures. Such support means our schools can deliver fundamental life savings skills as expected in the New Zealand Curriculum.

“How many more people must die before this Government recognises that this bureaucratic stupidity is costing lives?” Ms Martin said.

ENDS

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