New rules target River Murray jet ski and boat operators
The state government has suggested new licences and operating conditions for jet skis and boats in a wide-ranging review aimed at improving on-water safety.
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Jet ski and boat operators may be hit with new restrictions in a bid to improve public safety on the River Murray.
Riders would need a special licence to operate a jet ski under a proposal by the state Department of Infrastructure and Transport.
Jet skis may also be banned from operating between sunset and sunrise; and may be required to keep 200 metres clear of properties, landings and moored vessels while doing doughnuts or other tricks.
The rule changes have been suggested as part of a far-reaching review of South Australia’s marine safety laws, in a bid to improve safety for boaties and other water users.
Sixty-nine people drowned in South Australian waters between July 2003 and June 2022, and another five have died in on-water collisions in the past decade.
Other changes suggested by the department include:
- A four-knot speed limit within 200m of a bridge
- A seven-knot speed limit for boats at night
- Introduction of swimming-only areas on the River Murray
- A boating safety app, and safety lessons in primary schools
Many of the proposed changes would apply across South Australia’s inland and coastal waters.
A public consultation on the ideas opened on Friday and will continue until September 6.
Murray Bridge ski shop owner Adam Bruce suggested he would welcome some of the proposals.
But he said education, not regulation, was the key to ensuring public safety on the river.
“(What’s needed) is all around … basically trying to get people to understand what’s acceptable and what’s not,” he said.
“I don’t think making more rules is going to help so much, because then you’ve got to enforce them.
“There’s just not enough people on the water to monitor all this.”
State MP Adrian Pederick went one step further, suggesting that it would be pointless to change the rules unless the number of marine safety officers was tripled.
At the moment just 10 officers had the job of patrolling the River Murray and South Australia’s extensive coastline, he said.
“If you want to ensure there’s compliance, you need to have more compliance officers making sure we enforce the rules that are already in place,” he said.
“On busy weekends and in busy areas, there should be compliance people on site every time: at Easter, at Christmas, on long weekends.
“That will make the River Murray a safer place.”
The cost of the extra staff would probably be offset by the fines they would bring in, he suggested.
He disagreed with most of the proposed rule changes, including the idea of a separate licence for jet ski operators, more restrictive speed limits on the river, or limitations on operating water craft after dark – after all, “you can’t legislate against stupidity”.
However, he conceded that a practical test for people earning their boat licences, on top of the current theory test, could be a good idea.
Almost 80 per cent of South Australians had supported the idea of extra training for jet ski users during a recent survey of more than 1600 boat and water users, the Department of Infrastructure and Transport suggested.
Ninety-seven per cent agreed that more education was needed around on-water safety.
Improved signage at boat ramps, and a dedicated boating safety app, were among the measures which attracted the most support.
Feedback from the current round of public consultation will be used in the creation of a strategy for boating safety in South Australia between now and 2030.
The strategy is expected to be finalised later this year.
- More information, have your say: Visit yoursay.sa.gov.au/sa-recreational-boating-safety-strategy before September 6.
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