SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA ANNUAL REPORT 2007–08

Scene from SLSA’s latest television commercial ‘Whatever it takes’, co-produced by BCM, SLSA and Zoom Productions.
Around 100 people drowned around the coastline during
2008–09, none of them on patrolled beaches, which is where
most of our members patrol. If we are to fulfi l our mission of
saving lives in the water, we must fi nd ways to expand our
services to provide broader coverage—to where people are
drowning. This is a huge challenge for a volunteer-based,
not-for-profi t organisation, but not an impossible one.
The board is currently considering a number of discussion
papers which will help us develop the ‘road map’ for our
future service to the Australian community.
2007 Year of the Surf Lifesaver opened a window of
opportunity for the organisation to shift more focus to this
frontline, full-time emergency capability. It represents an
essential transition from doing what we have done very
well for the past 100 years, to an organisation which meets
an obvious community need. At the same time we need to
continue to provide strong leadership and good governance
for the entire movement. However we will need to pay
even greater attention to the areas of social inclusion and
environmental impact as well as the volatile economic
realities of the 21st century.
REFINING CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
As the charter of the surf lifesaving movement evolves,
so does the need for our corporate governance structure
to evolve with it. We share with many other organisations a
strong state-based structure which has served us very well
for the past 100 years. However our board and committee
structure, which is so crucial to keeping our volunteers
at the heart of our movement, must be responsive to
a continually changing and competitive marketplace.
As noted earlier, we have already moved to better separate
policy from management at the board level and we plan
to conduct a more broad-ranging view of our governance
during the next period.
The AC currently enjoys a good cross section of skills.
While many national organisations have moved to
incorporate independent directors, the current state
and portfolio based representation on the board has
been effective with collaboration and co-operation
adding strength to the organisation. (See page 46
for further explanation of board composition.)
SECTION 01—OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS OF 2007–08 11