Waratah Marine Search and Rescue unhappy over administration decision

A group of boaties was left stranded for three hours because of an admin spat between rescue groups.

A group of boaties was left stranded for three hours before a tourism vessel picked them up — because of an admin spat between rescue groups.

Former Waratah Marine Search and Rescue senior volunteer Ray Henderson said the unit would have normally assisted within half an hour, but due to a fight over who manages the service, there was no one available.

“Consequences in that situation (Monday’s break down) were not serious but if someone had a heart attack or a boat had turned over, even a helicopter is an hour away whereas we can be out in the water in 10 to 15 minutes and at this end of the Prom within half an hour,” Mr Henderson said.

The Marine Search and Rescue operates within Life Saving Victoria (LSV) and will soon be centralised out of an operations centre in Melbourne.

Mr Henderson and several other volunteer members have left their roles and are now fighting for the organisation to run on its own instead of under the management of Life Saving Victoria (LSV).

He said if they were able to run as an independent organisation it would allow for more efficiency.

Some volunteers from the Waratah Marine Search and Rescue have stepped down from their positions after attempts to get the search and rescue to operate as its own organisation have been unsuccessful.

“If you’re coming from Melbourne even in a helicopter it is going to take at least an hour or so,” he said.

Mr Henderson said the group was “blindsided” by LSV in February after they went through the process of becoming independent only to be told LSV would not only retain management of Marine Search and Rescue but they would be managing it centrally from Melbourne.

“We filled out the applications, registered a name, we registered for a bank account and got an ABN. We did everything in preparation for this and then they did the absolute opposite of what we wanted,” he said.

“We thought we were meeting with them to sort out the final details and then they sat us down and told us this is what they were doing, like we were employees not volunteers.”

However, LSV said the decision was made after a two year review process and was based on “research and safety”.

“Following coronial recommendations and an extensive review and consultative process that commenced in 2019, in May 2022 Life Saving Victoria put forward a plan to move Victorian life saving club-affiliated marine search and rescue (MSAR) units to a coordinated state-wide operating model, similar to our rescue helicopter, drone and jet ski services,” General Manager of lifesaving services Liam Krige said.

Mr Krige said the decision was made for the benefit of everyone and provided the area with safer operations.

“These changes have allowed Life Saving Victoria to enhance the assurance of the service by assuming responsibility for administrative elements to deliver safer operating environments,” he said.

Despite LSV’s reasons for what they labelled an “administration” change, Mr Henderson said the change was for the worse.

“It has become obvious that it needs to be independent,” he said.

“Sometimes we have to make decisions about operations on the spot and while you’re under a third party you have to go back to them for everything.”

The rescuers attend marine emergencies 24 hours a day.

He also said things like communications and financial decisions would be much easier if they operated separately.

However, Mr Kringe said this change would actually enhance communication.

“In addition to the administrative enhancements, a key operational outcome of this change will be providing a direct line of communication between the local service delivery teams and the state centre during emergencies,” he said.

Mr Henderson said the surf life saving club was a “safety service” not an “emergency service”.

“They do a fantastic job but they only operate in restricted areas at restricted times,” he said.

LSV said there were strict requirements around running an independent rescue group and they were unable to provide those requirements to the Waratah Marine Search and Rescue under the current structure.

There are currently seven independent Marine Search and Rescue Units around the state.

Mr Kringe said he was “respectful” of the volunteer’s decision to step down from their roles however, other members had decided to continue on with the search and rescue team.

“The majority of Waratah Beach Marine Search and Rescue volunteers remain actively involved. While we are disappointed those members do not wish to continue, we respect their decision to leave and have commenced recruitment for the vacant roles,” he said.