Surf Life Saving Queensland says vax mandate to be enforced by early next year

SLSQ has confirmed it will require all staff and volunteers to vaccinate against Covid-19 or be placed on restrictive duties.

SURF Life Saving Queensland has confirmed it will require all staff and volunteers to vaccinate against Covid-19 or be placed on restrictive duties - but not until March next year.

It was reported in late October that members were divided and in the dark about whether SLSQ would mandate vaccinations for volunteers patrolling beaches on the Gold Coast and across the state.

Now, it has been announced all staff and volunteers must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus by March 31, 2022.

SLSQ said its Board of Directors had met to “consider the impact and options”.

SLSQ will mandate Covid-19 vaccinations.

"The new Queensland Roadmap means that from December 17 all SLSQ supporters clubs/licensed premises must adhere to the restrictions imposed by the Queensland Government for unvaccinated people,” a statement read.

“As Surf Clubs and Supporters Clubs are often in the same building, this update has brought forward the decision by the Board to require all staff and volunteers 16 years and over to be fully vaccinated by March 31, 2022.

"This requirement was communicated to staff and volunteers this morning.

“Furthermore, it is believed that this requirement is the best way to ensure the safety and wellbeing of volunteers and beachgoers in the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

“Importantly, this requirement will help minimise the risk of infection and spreading for lifesavers when they conduct rescues throughout the patrolling season.”

SLSQ stated any of its staff and volunteers attending one of its clubs or facilities to provide a service or participate in an activity will need to be double-jabbed “unless an exemption is received”.

The organisation will embark on a consultation process with stakeholders to ensure affiliates are in the loop and involved.

The mandate will come into play on March 31 next year.

SLSQ CEO Dave Whimpey said the organisation has a duty of care to keep all staff, volunteers and members of the public safe.

“We are taking this step to actively protect all those involved in the lifesaving community, and align with the Queensland Government’s Roadmap,” he said.

“A number of factors were considered when we made this decision, and we acknowledge that some staff and volunteers may disagree.

“Accordingly, we respect an individual’s decision, and should they choose not to be fully vaccinated, they will be placed on Restricted Duties and unable to participate.

“Ultimately, we have to ensure the health and safety of our staff, volunteers and any other third parties who have interactions with SLSQ which is why we have made this decision.

“SLSQ recognises that if advice from the Queensland Government changes over the coming months, this requirement will be reviewed by the SLSQ Board of Directors.”

Lifesavers over the age of 12 urged to get Covid-19 vaccine

October 27: Covid-19 will create a “chilling effect” on volunteer lifesavers turning up for patrols because they fear either being infected or passing the virus on to swimmers.

A senior lawyer and experienced lifesavers believe Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) must show leadership and introduce “best practices” to protect its members or risk losing them.

A report in Wednesday’s Bulletin detailed how SLSQ had been silent about vaccine requirements. It declined to answer questions about whether it had the data on members who had been fully vaccinated.

In its response, SLSQ said it “strongly urges all members over the age of 12 to get a Covid-19 vaccine”.

Surf Life Saving NSW has been more transparent, addressing a range of Covid issues, including insurance coverage, on its website.

“Clubs should manage their risk as though there is NO (sic) insurance cover in place for claims arising from Covid,” SLSNSW wrote.

Veteran Gold Coast lawyer and former long-serving Queensland Law Society president Bill Potts warned Queensland surf clubs could face a “chilling effect” with memberships dropping.

He said lifesavers were like police and nurses involved in the frontline of saving lives and protecting the public, only they were voluntary and had different levels of training.

He said lifesavers faced the risk of transferring Covid to the public and being sued, and beachgoers giving them the disease.

Lifeguards save swimmer in water, 2021. Picture: Surf Life Saving Queensland

“To that end, surf lifesaving, although it’s a voluntary organisation, is still subject to the Work Health Safety Legislation and, accordingly, they (surf management) have an obligation to provide a safe place at work and a safe means of doing the work,” Mr Potts said.

When giving “mouth to mouth” in a rescue or CPR, lifesavers could fear they may later find themselves fully liable for passing on the disease.

They could also believe “there is no way they can protect themselves from getting the disease from the very people they are serving”.

“The trouble is surf lifesaving short of masking everyone up — and that doesn’t work in the surf or on the beach — are not in the position where they can guarantee the protection of either the public or their own members. It will have a chilling effect on them,” Mr Potts said.

Insurance worked to protect both the assets of the club and lifesavers in their work, and compensate the injured person, he said.

“In the absence of that, an injured person may well think they can sue the individual lifesavers and individual clubs, so it’s probably important they look closely, even if they see the risk as light or low,” Mr Potts said.

“When you are in the surf you are dealing with people, strangers — it could be that person who jumped the border or someone who has got the disease, you may well think to yourself why should I give that person CPR or mouth to mouth if I believe I can catch the disease.

Surf lifesavers with the public. Picture: David Clark.

“I know lifesavers are dedicated, they have a very strong community sense.

“But I’m concerned that as people consider their own positions, as the pandemic runs longer, people are now looking closely at their legal rights, including vax mandates and mask mandates.

“The one thing that surf lifesaving can do is to ensure best practices. But ultimately given the nature of what they do, there is inevitably going to be close human contact without all the protective gear that doctors and nurses have.

“In those circumstances, it is important there be proper insurance to our sandy heroes, that they have insurance policy and an organisation that backs them.”

 

'It's madness': Lifesavers dive into Covid-19 vax mandates

Earlier: A furore has erupted within the Gold Coast’s well-regarded surf lifesaving movement about the state body’s lack of a stance on vaccination for volunteers on beach patrol.

As lifesavers gear up to host pop-up vaccination clinics, members are divided and in the dark about whether volunteers on patrols have received a Covid-19 vaccine.

Currently there are no vaccination policies in place by Surf Life Saving Queensland. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

A senior surf lifesaver told the Bulletin: “A person could be pulled out of the water for CPR. They are alright (they have survived). Then they catch Covid off that lifesaver. It’s madness.”

The spotlight has been put on Covid-19 beach safety plans after Surf Life Saving Queensland CEO Dave Whimpey last weekend met with Deputy Premier Steven Miles to announce 20 new pop-up vaccination clinics at clubs from Coolangatta to Port Douglas.

The Bulletin has been contacted by lifesavers who were not just concerned about the public.

“There is more concern about patrols and which members are vaccinated. Members are refusing to divulge whether they are vaccinated,” a senior volunteer lifesaver said.

“Two of them (in our patrol) refused to answer. It’s a real safety issue. It is not just about the public.”

The division in surf’s ranks first surfaced publicly when retired Coast champion ironman Trevor Hendy backed by US surfing legend Kelly Slater took a shot at the sport’s calendar promoter for taking a stance on vaccines, saying it was not the code’s role to promote medical procedures that came with “risk”.

Hendy was later criticised for being “reckless” about health issues.

Other experienced lifesavers at some of the Coast’s biggest clubs confirm there has been silence from surf’s management about vaccine requirements.

“They’ve said nothing at all. There has been nothing said about getting a Covid shot. I haven’t had any (emails) from Queensland Surf Life Saving,” a surf veteran said.

The Bulletin asked SLSQ 10 questions, including if it had a 100 per cent compliance requirement for members to be vaccinated, what were the current rates among volunteers and would a Covid-19 protection policy be rolled out.

Trevor Hendy, who supports freedom of choice. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Surf was asked if it would consider – similar to other sports or volunteer groups – separating members who have vaccinations and removing from the public those who don’t.

The Bulletin also asked whether the vaccine hubs, being created for this long weekend, would only have lifesavers attending who were fully vaccinated.

In a short response, SLSQ said: “Surf Life Saving Queensland is proud to support the Queensland Government in (sic) their Covid-19 vaccination campaign with pop-up clinics stationed at more than 20 surf lifesaving clubs this long weekend.

Police officers this month lost their legal bid to defy their Commissioner’s direction to be vaccinated for Covid-19.

Health workers and ambulance service must have the jab unless granted an exemption.

Surf lifesavers with the public. Picture: David Clark.

“Surf Life Saving Queensland has, and will continue to, strongly urge all members over the age of 12 to get a Covid-19 vaccine.”

The lack of safety plans for Queensland beach patrols contrast with volunteer lifesavers in NSW who are taking extra precautions against coronavirus.

Members across locked-down Greater Sydney will be required to wear gowns, gloves and face shields while administering some first aid.

Surf clubs across NSW will employ modified CPR and first aid procedures and volunteers must wear face masks while on patrol, except when entering the water to rescue someone. They are not required to be vaccinated.

North Bondi Surf Club does not have a vaccination policy but has sought to roster fully vaccinated patrol members, with fewer than 10 rostered at a time.

Originally published as Surf Life Saving Queensland says vax mandate to be enforced by early next year