BOATING SAFETY A KEY MESSAGE AT THIS YEAR’S SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW

Maritime Minister Duncan Gay today officially opened the largest recreational marine event in the southern hemisphere, the 48^th Sydney International Boat Show.

Close to 1,000 boats with a combined value of more than $200 million will decorate the exhibition halls of the Sydney Exhibition Centre at Glebe Island and the Cockle Bay Marina for the next five days.

“This event is great day out for boaties and their families and puts Sydney on the world-stage for boating events – not to mention the great tourism benefits for the NSW economy,” Mr Gay said.

“Safety is at the forefront of this year’s Boat Show and I am proud of the strong and ongoing partnership the NSW Government has with the show hosts, the Boating Industry Association (BIA).

“It is great to be at this fantastic event which is the perfect platform for us to promote safe, responsible and enjoyable boating state-wide.

“I’m pleased to see NSW waterway fatalities trend down and life jacket wear on the up. This is due to the efforts of boaters, the boating industry and Government.

“As Maritime Minister I will make it my priority to work to see the numbers fall dramatically next year and beyond, especially those preventable by wearing a life jacket.

“Sadly older men in small dinghy style fishing boats were overrepresented in fatalities in the past year – with no life jackets on.

“I fall into this overrepresented age group and I understand the resistance to change, but we can do better than this guys, don’t ignore the facts – as life jacket wear goes up, fatalities go down.

“I want all recreational boaters to listen to the warnings, whack on that lifejacket, enjoy their time out on the water, and get home safely to their families.”