SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA ANNUAL REPORT 2007–08

IGHLIGHTS
OUR MEMBERS:
• Increased by more than 10,000, or 8%.
• Watched over more than 55 million beach visitations.
• Rescued 13,642* people and prevented
446,929* other rescues.
• Obtained 101,165 awards and qualifi cations.
• Contributed to a healthier Australia by participating
in a range of surf sports activities and events around
the country.
* Combines surf lifesavers and ALS lifeguard actions.
OUR KEY FOCUSES FOR 2008–09
We are committed to:
• Growing lifesaving and emergency service capabilities.
• Enhancing knowledge creation and research.
• Building smart, effective national ICT systems.
• Growing sustainable and diversifi ed revenues.
Our membership increased by more than 10,000 during 2007–08 making
us one of the most vibrant community-based organisations in the country.
(Image Harvpix/John Veage)
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
Our members (volunteer surf lifesavers and paid lifeguards) rescued more than 13,600 people. (Image Harvpix/John Veage)
6 SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA—ANNUAL REPORT 2007–08
At Surf Life Saving Australia, we:
• Distributed $7,371,608 to states, clubs and branches
for ‘frontline’ water safety services (see page 25).
• Successfully lobbied the Australian Government
for increased funding to water safety (see page 24).
• Improved our intelligence gathering and reporting
processes to help identify drowning ‘black spots’ (16).
• Delivered a full season of high quality surf sports events,
which attracted increased TV ratings (see page 29).
• Finished the Year of the Surf Lifesaver—the most
successful branding campaign ever conducted
by the movement—on a high note (see page 12).
• Conducted the inaugural Beach Safety and the Law
Summit to help identify legal impediments to improved
coastal safety (see page 25).
• Developed our fi rst-ever ‘road-map’ for smarter,
lifesaving information communication and technology
(ICT) systems (page 23).
• Successfully competed our fi ve year registered training
organisation (RTO) audit to allow us to continue to
provide educational qualifi cations (see page 28).
• Formed partnerships with government, other bodies and
‘beacon’ clubs to develop sustainable environmental
practices for the whole movement (see page 95).
• Improved internal processes to ensure more effective
reporting of how we met our objectives (see page 16).
• Began the long process of administrative improvement
to ensure SLSA Ltd delivers effectively for our internal
and external stakeholders into the future (see page 23).