True state of Queensland Christmas death toll revealed
More than 20 people have been killed on land and sea across Queensland this festive season. Who are the victims and what can authorities do to stop it?
QLD News
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TOURISTS should be given mandatory water safety advice when they are handed their Australian visas to prevent them from drowning in Queensland’s deadly waterways, the state’s tourism industry council says.
And road police want every motorist to make the same New Year’s resolution in 2019 after a “concerning and unnecessary” spate of deaths on our motorways and in waterways this festive period.
Seven people have died after drownings on the Queensland coastline, in fresh waterways and in backyard pools since December 27. Thirteen people have also been killed in traffic accidents since December 23.
In other incidents, a Queensland man overdosed at a Sydney music festival, a mother and daughter were electrocuted on a far north Queensland farm and a man was also killed at a mine southwest of Mackay.
The unusual rash of deaths over Christmas and New Year has triggered a strong response from authorities, who are desperate to put an end to the carnage.
Queensland’s peak tourism body has called on the Federal Government to include safety messages, particularly around swimming, to be issued when visas are granted to inbound tourists.
December was a bad month for tourists, with two Chinese nationals drowning in a residential pool in Brendale, north of Brisbane, and a Japanese boy drowning in the popular Cairns Lagoon.
Those drownings followed the deaths of a Chinese father and son at the Airlie Beach Lagoon in October.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind said providing safety advice to tourists when they were issued with their electronic visa was the optimal time.
“You’re reading every word of it, I suspect, and I think that would be an opportune moment to share some messages in a balanced sort of way,” he said.
“That’s when you have their attention.
“Once they’ve had a couple of drinks before taking off on the plane, where they’re watching an exciting movie, you’ve kind of lost them.”
Mr Gschwind said the Government knew of the idea but it had never got any traction.
Surf Life Saving Queensland chief executive John Brennan said there had been a clear spike in the recent number of drownings, which was particularly concerning.
“Tragically, a number of these recent fatalities could have been avoided if those involved had been swimming at a patrolled beach,” he said.
On the roads, the situation has been just as dire.
Pedestrians, motorcyclists and car drivers have all been killed over Christmas, prompting Assistant Police Commissioner Mike Keating to plead for “better decisions” from motorists.
“I would urge all people on Queensland roads in 2019 to make a New Year’s resolution: make the best possible decisions for your safety and safety of others,” he said.
There have been a staggering 4747 insurance claims stemming from motor crashes in Queensland since December 2, RACQ data obtained by The Courier-Mail shows.
During the past month, the busiest week for claims was December 3-9.
There has been a renewed focus on swimming pool safety after the December 27 Brendale deaths.
Leading water safety advocate Laurie Lawrence is rolling out a new safety campaign in time for Australia Day.
The former Olympic swim coach and “Kids Alive Do the Five” founder has come up with an idea similar to the designated driver campaign around road safety.
The Responsible Pool Person method will see an adult become a designated lookout.
“Where there’s alcohol and there’s kids one person has to become a Responsible Pool Person,” he said. “Put their phone away, stay off alcohol, put the cap on and you’re responsible for kids in the pool.”
SUMMER TRAGEDIES
DRUGS
December 29 Brisbane’s Joshua Tam, 22, died of a drug overdose at the Lost Paradise festival north of Sydney.
DROWNINGS
December 23 Unidentified Japanese tourist, 7, drowned in the Cairns lagoon.
December 27 Unidentified Chinese woman, 31, dies in hospital after being pulled from a pool in Brendale on December 20. It is unclear when she died.
December 27 Unidentified Chinese boy, 11, dies in hospital after being pulled from a pool in Brendale on December 20. It is unclear when he died.
December 27 Ebony King, 34, is believed to have perished when she entered the fast-moving Wallaby Creek near Rossville.
December 31 Unidentified man in his 60s drowned after it is suspected he had a seizure swimming in the Broadwater off Muriel Henchman Drive on the Gold Coast.
January 1 Unidentified man in his 40s drowned at Frenchmans Beach on Stradbroke Island.
January 1 Police confirmed a body found at Chinaman Creek in Cairns was Rowan Kahn, 28. He was last seen entering a creek canal on December 29.
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
December 23 Unidentified woman (a pedestrian), 52, died in hospital after being hit by a car at Mango Hill.
December 24 Malcolm and Esme Beck, aged in their 70s, died after being hit by a car at Hermit Park, Townsville.
December 26 Unidentified man, 53, died in hospital after a motorcycle crash on December 20 near Cairns.
December 27 Ryan Pringle, 7, died in truck crash near Toowoomba. His father, Ben Pringle, survived.
December 27 Unidentified local man, 48, died after it is believed he fell from his cycle at Bushland Beach near Townsville.
December 29 Jared Hayne, 21, died after a small truck towing a caravan and his sedan collided head-on on the Bruce Highway near Miriam Vale, in the Gladstone region.
December 30 Unidentified Wongawallan woman, 69, died after the car in which she was a passenger crashed into the Noosa river.
December 30 Motorcyclist Warren Bornman, 51, died after he was hit by a car in Woolloongabba.
December 30 Unidentified man in his 60s died when his van crashed into a tree 45km north of Goomeri near Gympie.
December 31 Mick Kelso, 38, was hit by a car and killed at Mountain Creek on the Sunshine Coast.
December 31 Unidentified Morayfield man, 33, died in hospital after he crashed his motorbike into a tree at Springfield Central.
January 1 Harold Lander, 82, of Jondaryan died after his vehicle crashed into a tree at Pechey near Toowoomba. He was a father of six and grandfather to 14.
January 1 Nyles Reynders, 21, of West Woombye, died after crashing his car into a tree at West Woombye. He was rushed to hospital and died the next morning.
ACCIDENTS
December 31 Allan Houston was driving a bulldozer at the Saraji Mine near Dysart when it rolled off a 50m high bench.
December 31 Juanita Bendel and her 10-year-old daughter Ava Cole were electrocuted in a freak accident west of Cairns.
January 2 Former Brisbane Roar managing director Mark Kingsman, 54, died in a jetskiing incident off South Stradbroke Island. Mr Kingsman died after falling from his ski, possibly suffering from a medical episode.
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