Despite the numbers are tracking downwards Water Safety NZ CEO Jonty Mills says even one death is one too many. About 90 per cent of Kiwis enjoy the water in some shape or form be it fishing, boating or swimming. "Secondly and, sadly in most cases [it's] males, they make bad decisions and I can't sugar coat that." A 2016 report found only a quarter of schools now have adequate water safety education. "Kiwis expect lifeguards to be on beaches, coastguard boats to go out and rescue people, us to be teaching and educating kids [water safety].

Source: Otago Daily Times December 30, 2019 21:33 UTC