Ombudsman’s Foreword

As Ombudsman, I have an important responsibility to review certain child deaths, identify patterns and trends arising from these reviews and make recommendations about ways to prevent or reduce child deaths.

On 23 November 2017, the 'Investigation into ways to prevent or reduce deaths of children by drowning' (the Report), was tabled in Parliament. In the Foreword of the Report I noted:

I have found that a range of work has been undertaken by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety and the Building Commissioner to administer their respective responsibilities in relation to swimming pool safety. I also found, that there was important further work that should be done. This work is detailed in the findings of this report. It will be critical that this work is undertaken with strong cooperation between the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, the Building Commissioner, local governments and other key stakeholders, including intra-agency, inter-agency and cross-sectoral arrangements – this is the most efficient and effective way to achieve positive change.

Arising from my findings in the Report, I made 25 recommendations about ways to prevent or reduce deaths of children by drowning. The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety and the Building Commissioner agreed to these recommendations.

In 2016-17, I gave a commitment to Parliament that, following the tabling of each major own motion investigation, the Office would undertake a comprehensive review of the steps taken by government agencies to give effect to our recommendations and then table the results of this review in Parliament.

Accordingly, I am now pleased to provide Parliament with ‘A report on giving effect to the recommendations arising from the Investigation into ways to prevent or reduce deaths of children by drowning’.

I am very pleased that in relation to all of the recommendations, the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety and the Building Commissioner have either taken steps, or propose to take steps (or both) to give effect to the recommendations. In no instance has the Office found that no steps have been taken to give effect to the recommendations.

Following the Report, the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, the Building Commissioner and local governments have made particularly positive progress in the areas of improving consistency and quality of swimming pool inspections and the training and professional development of swimming pool inspectors. The very evident level of national collaboration in relation to portable swimming pools, and Western Australian leadership in relation to this, is also very pleasing.

Chris Field
OMBUDSMAN