Bundaberg and Burnett families have been urged to take advantage of the $150 SwimStart vouchers.
Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett has welcomed the introduction of the vouchers after he highlighted serious flaws with the FairPlay voucher system in Parliament. *
“The FairPlay voucher system excluded children who wanted to learn to swim which was simply ridiculous,” said Mr Bennett.
“A huge thank you must go to Whitakers Swim School instructor Shelley Whitaker who raised the red flag to advocate for our kids.
“Here in the Burnett we are surrounded by water so it goes without saying that learning to swim is a must.
“In just 12 months there were 84 drowning deaths in Queensland, that’s a 27 per cent increase on the 10-year average. **
“Knowing how to swim is a valuable and lifesaving skill so I’d encourage eligible families to dive in and get their kids learning how to swim as young as possible.”
Around 30,000 SwimStart vouchers for eligible children aged 0 to 4 years are now available but Mr Bennett said there’s work to be done to ensure every child has the same opportunities.
“Unfortunately this program is only available for parents, carers or guardians with a valid Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card,” he said.
“Cost of living pressures are hitting families hard across Bundaberg and the Burnett, some parents simply can’t afford swimming lessons.
“Learning to swim needs to be all-inclusive, it shouldn’t be dictated by a family’s income.
“I encourage the Minister to continue work on the SwimStart voucher program to ensure no child is left behind.”
For more information on SwimStart, visit www.qld.gov.au/swimstart
* https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableoffice/questionsanswers/2023/532-2023.pdf
ENDS.
08/11/2023