PREVIOUS STRATEGY

2015 to 2020

In 2015 the first New Zealand Water Safety Sector Strategy 2020 was developed and published. This document is the next iteration of that 2020 strategy. The strategy has been developed by the Cross Sector Reference Group in consultation with a wide group of water safety stakeholders and a broad cross-section of multi-sector related agencies, who each have a part to play in water safety and drowning prevention in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The 2020 strategy sought to increase the sector’s ability to work together to reduce drowning deaths and injuries. The sector aimed to achieve three outcomes:

Culture change – a changed culture in which every New Zealander understands the risks associated with water and has the ability to survive in, on or around the water;

Reduced costs – minimised social and economic costs from preventable drowning and water related injury and hospitalisation; and

High performing – a world leading water safety sector.

These three outcomes are still considered relevant. The reduced cost outcome has been amended to highlight the primary outcome, that of “Reduced drowning fatalities and drowning related hospitalisations”. The high performing outcome has been reworded to bring focus to the sector being sustainable, collaborative and coherent.