Navigation Bylaw Submission - February 2021

Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau Te Ture ā-Rohe Urungi Āhuru 2021 / Auckland Council Navigation Bylaw 2021 – Submission from SAFETY COLLECTIVE TĀMAKI MAKAURAU

Executive Summary

The Safety Collective supports the intent of the proposed bylaw. However, we do not support one aspect of Proposal 8. Specifically, we do not support clause 20(2), allowing personal floatation devices (PFDs) on vessels 6 metres or less in length to not be worn if the person in charge deems it safe to do so. We believe PFDs should be worn at all times on such vessels, and that removing this clause would substantially address the unacceptably low usage of PFDs on small vessels and high number of drownings that result. We also request a clarification in clause 6, highlighting that alcohol is itself a drug.