During the glorious Australian summer it seems inevitable that our newspapers will have numerous reports of swimmers saved from drowning on our beaches.
Visit any beach that is patrolled by lifesavers and you will see the majority in the water between the flags - and a vast number scattered along the unpatrolled length of that beach, many putting themselves in danger because they lack water proficiency.
We are advised to obey the rules demanded by the lifesavers, but they lack the legal authority to insist that we swim only between the flags - and it must be very tempting to governments to enforce beach rules with a law - thereby ensuring both public safety - and providing a new form of revenue raising by way of fines for law breaches.
It is a tragedy when someone loses their life in the surf, but one of the great joys of being an Australian is to have freedom of choice on what we wish to do. Over the years, that freedom has become increasingly restricted by laws intended to save us from our own folly.
We may be fined for riding a push bike without a helmet. It is an offence punishable by a heavy fine for being in a moving vehicle without a seat belt buckled.
We no longer may let off fireworks to celebrate an event. Lighting a cigarette just about anywhere will incur the wrath of a fine imposing ranger.
It seems inevitable that somewhere down the track our freedom to swim where we choose will be curtailed. In particular, this will probably start with a ban on some unpatrolled beaches with known safety hazards.
Any ban will be the thin edge of the wedge. But then - older folks will remember the lazy, carefree days of summer long past when kids rode their bikes without helmets - and cracker night was something that the whole family enjoyed.
Bit by bit - the screws tighten !
No comments:
Post a Comment