Over 50 years ago, in the summer of ’69, Randwick Surf Rescue 30 was established by a group of visionary surf lifesavers. Today, their legacy has evolved with over 60 volunteer members working as part of Surf Life Saving’s Support Operations Team to ensure zero preventable deaths in our local waters every year.

As a highly regarded, entirely self-funded service, the Randwick volunteer lifesaver rescue boat is an integral part of surf lifesaving in our community:

• Having saved thousands of lives across Sydney’s patrolled and unpatrolled beaches; and
• Providing valuable leadership pathways for younger members; and
• Supporting the community and operating in an incident-free and compliant manner. 

Despite this, Surf Lifesaving NSW recently informed members that it would be suspending the service indefinitely – without any consultation or formal review process amongst key stakeholders. Surf Life Saving NSW published their findings in a 15 page 'Big Boats review' report that has not been made publicly available and is yet to be reviewed by current patrolling members and the Surf Rescue leadership team.

After almost a decade of promises to support Randwick Surf Rescue 30, I believe Steven Pearce as the CEO of Surf Life Saving NSW and George Shales as the President of Surf Life Saving NSW have an obligation to ensure that any review is transparent; acting in the best interests of the community.

I strongly encourage Surf Life Saving NSW to properly engage in effective and meaningful consultations with all stakeholders (including Surf Rescue 30) as a matter of urgency in a constructive manner and in accordance with the principles of procedural fairness. Sanctions placed on current support operations pose a significant risk to the local community moving forward and I have no doubt that lives will be lost unless further action is taken on this matter immediately.

Help save a service that has saved so many people in their times of need.

Surf Rescue 30: Safer coastline. Safer beaches. Safer Lives.

Read Surf Rescue 30's statement here.​

Learn more about Surf Rescue 30 here (http://www.surfrescue30.com.au/).