Industry Launches PWC Behaviour Campaign and Unveils 5-Point Plan for Government Action
The Boating Industry Association Ltd (BIA) in collaboration with the PWC Industry Manufacturers today launched a media campaign designed to promote the safe and responsible use of personal watercraft (PWC) which includes Seadoo, Jet Ski and WaveRunner craft on New South Wales (NSW) waterways.
BIA CEO Andrew Fielding said the campaign was a key component of the industry’s strategic effort to address the behaviour by a minority who are putting at risk the enjoyment of the majority of PWC riders who do the right thing.
“The BIA campaign aims to alert anyone contemplating getting into or currently riding PWC to know their responsibilities,” Fielding said. “We want to encourage PWC owners and riders to better manage risks that can lead to conflict or serious incidents.
“The industry does not support behaviour which is unsafe or dangerous on the waterways. That is why we are running this targeted public awareness campaign to promote responsible ownership of PWC. It is also why BIA is calling for increased education and compliance efforts by government authorities.”
Fielding said BIA had submitted a 5-Point Plan for enforcement and behaviour change to the State Government. The Plan aims to strengthen compliance and enforcement tools to better manage dangerous behaviours by some PWC riders. The BIA plan calls upon Government to action the following:
- Adopt the infringement-issuing compliance camera model from the road network to ‘hot spots’ on the waterways
- Adopt an effective mechanism to suspend or cancel a licence, and seize vessels for the most serious and repeat offences
- Collaborate with industry to develop and deliver an appropriate, sustained and funded behaviour change campaign aimed at promoting responsible PWC ownership
- Consider adapting the Hoon legislation model applied on State roads for NSW waters
- Consider adapting a driver licence points demerit system from State roads for NSW.
The leading PWC brands in Australia – BRP’s Seadoo, Kawasaki’s Jet Ski and Yamaha’s WaveRunner – are in support of the Responsible Boat Owner digital campaign and the BIA 5 Point Plan to support the safe, responsible and enjoyable use of PWC.