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Title Four Corners: The Surf Club
Published Australia : ABC, 2013
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Description 1 online resource (streaming video file) (45 min. 31 sec.) ; 273048306 bytes
Summary The surf life saving movement is Australia's biggest volunteer organisation and it saves thousands of lives each year. But right now Surf Life Saving Australia is at a crossroads...Wendy Carlisle investigates.The surf life saving movement is Australia's biggest volunteer organisation and it saves thousands of lives each year. It represents values of service and sacrifice. But right now Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) is at a crossroads.Four Corners reveals new information relating to the death of a competitor in the national titles in 2012. The program also exposes the confusion inside the organisation over the use of safety equipment and explains the reasons for a mass walkout by directors in the organisation's powerful fundraising arm."There is absolutely nothing wrong with the organisation at the beach level. What is wrong is the people that manage that, and at a national level (they) need to consider change." - Former DirectorReporter Wendy Carlisle speaks to two former Board members who took a decision to stand down from the Australian Surf Life Saving Foundation. They tell her that SLSA is a boys club, lacking transparency and that it is run in a way that would not be tolerated in other organisations.Their views are backed by others inside the movement. As one experienced lifesaver told the program, he believes SLSA is top heavy with management and that too little of the money raised by the national body makes its way down to the grass roots:"If anyone knew what was going on they would go down to their local club and donate money straight to the club."In autumn 2012, the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships were held at Kurrawa Beach on Queensland's Gold Coast. On the third day of competition 14-year-old Matthew Barclay disappeared while competing in large surf. Matthew became the third competitor at a national title to die in 17 years. SLSA refuses to discuss the circumstances surrounding the tragedy while it is still with the coroner.Four Corners reveals information that implies organisers had been warned by people on the beach, including parents and other officials at the carnival, that conditions were dangerous and that controlling officials should consider moving the event.For the past 16 years, SLSA has indicated that it is committed to the testing and possible introduction of helmets and safety flotation vests for use in competition. Last month, SLSA set up a demonstration of safety equipment for the media. During the course of the demonstration, top lifesavers explained why the equipment was not appropriate. In turn, a spokesperson said she could not find anybody who would endorse the use of the equipment. At the same time, Four Corners discovered that in Western Australia one major club has made wearing helmets and vests mandatory in dangerous surf. When surfboat crews gathered for a recent championship in that state, many competitors wore safety equipment
Event Broadcast 2013-05-06 at 20:30:00
Notes Classification: NC
Subject Death.
Fund raising.
Lifeguards.
Sports -- Competitions.
Surfing.
Surf Life Saving Australia.
Form Streaming video
Author Balnaves, Neil, contributor
Bird, Dana, contributor
Clayton, Phil, contributor
Corbett, Bree, contributor
Farrelly, Midget, contributor
Gatenby, Michael, contributor
Highman, Ruth, contributor
Holland, Greg, contributor
Humphrys, Jane, contributor
Keay, Stuart, contributor
Nance, Greg, contributor
Newberry, Sue, contributor
O'Brien, Samantha, contributor
Riddington, Craig, contributor
Smith-Gander, Craig, contributor
Thomas, Deborah, contributor
Wilkinson, Grant, contributor
Williamson, Brett, contributor