It’s time to talk about water safety again

Key points

• The National Drowning Report 2026 recorded 313 drowning deaths in Australia, 10 per cent above the 10-year average. Nearly half occurred in coastal locations, and most pool drownings happened in backyard pools.
• Drowning deaths among children under five fell to 39 per cent below the 10-year average, but 11 such deaths still occurred in 2025/26. Experts urge parents to supervise children near water, fence pools securely and learn CPR.
• Royal Life Saving offers a free pool safety checklist online.