Coastal Patrol Sinking - Out Of Funding

The Volunteer Marine Rescue Organisations of NSW save the state government tens of millions every year but receive recurrent government funding that represents an average of $764 per volunteer for training, operations and capital equipment.

By comparison, the SES receives over $2,700 per volunteer.

The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, and its colleagues in the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard and NSW Volunteer Rescue Association, are facing the most difficult financial challenge in our respective histories. We are all perilously under-funded by the state government and we are unanimous in the opinion that if the level of funding does not increase substantially we will all have to seriously consider limiting our emergency services to life-threatening incidents only.

This is not a situation that any of us would willingly consider if it was not for the fact that volunteer marine rescue services have now reached the point that while our organisations are saving the government tens of millions of dollars a year, we are all struggling to meet our commitments.

Volunteer marine rescue organisations are now responsible for an average 63% of all marine rescues in NSW, up to 88% in some Water Police Marine Area Command regions, and as much as 100% in some parts of those regions where there is no Water Police presence.

In addition, marine rescue volunteers now handle 100% of radio traffic for recreational boating since the Telstra marine radio network was closed in 2005.

NSW volunteer marine rescue organisations are funded by NSW Maritime, a self-funding, statutory State Government body classified by NSW Treasury as a non-budget dependent general government agency. In other words, the NSW marine community pays for volunteer marine rescue services.

NSW Maritime is also a very successful self-funding organisation. In 2005-06 over $13 million was distributed to the state government.

In 2005-06 Coastal Patrol, Coast Guard and VRA had 1,688 active volunteer members with funding of $1.29 million. This represents an average $764 per volunteer member of which $296 is for mandatory Competency Based Training (CBT) and the balance of $468 is for operations and capital equipment repairs and replacement.

Coastal Patrol alone, the largest of the three organisations in NSW, had to find $3 million to operate last year. It will be more this year. Our direct share of the government funding for operations and capital in 2005-06 was $353,000. This is under 12% of the total costs and represents an even lower average of $404 per member for operations and capital costs. It was very hard work raising the other $2.65 million last year. It will be even harder this year as there is actually 4.23% less funding for operations and capital in 2006-07.

By comparison, our colleagues in the SES had a well-deserved and realistic budget of $40.6 million in 2005-06. Of this $27.6 million (68%) was recurrent funding from the state government.

SES has 10,000 volunteer members and $27.6 million represents $2,760 per member.

This is a significant difference in equitable funding of volunteer emergency services.

Governments do not allocate funding without good reasons. There are very good reasons for SES to receive its level of funding. It is our responsibility in the volunteer marine rescue organisations to make a strong and factual case for a fair share of funding for the marine emergencies we manage, the boating safety education we provide, the high-maintenance equipment we use and the property and lives we save.

14 months ago in December 2005, the NSW Volunteer Marine Rescue Council prepared a detailed submission to the government for a realistic budget of $7.6 million (and since then our fuel costs have gone through the roof the same as everyone else’s).

The fact that this is more than a 600% increase on current funding simply demonstrates how desperately starved of funds our organisations have been. It also demonstrates the pragmatic, business reality of what is really needed for volunteer marine rescue organisations to maintain and replace our vessels that must be kept in Survey condition, operate best-practice communications technology, train our members, educate the boating public and work to ensure safety of life at sea.

The government knows what it costs to keep the Water Police afloat and there is no question that these costs are essential in our community. This is the nature of water-based services. But this is why the volunteers’ share of marine emergency rescues in NSW has reached an unsustainable average of 63%.

The NSW election is on 24 March 2007. During this time Coastal Patrol and the other NSW volunteer marine rescue organisations will bring these issues to the attention of those who want our support to be the next government of NSW.

The Opposition has announced a commitment of $7.6 million a year to volunteer marine rescue.

At the date of writing, the incumbent government had not announced its VMR funding policy.

We have until March 24 to fight for a fair and equitable balance.

Recreational boating in NSW is enjoyed by an estimated 15% of the coastal population. Coastal Patrol statistics demonstrate that 50% of all rescues involve vessels under 6m; a further 25% involve vessels up to 9m. These are the tinnies, half cabins, small cruisers and sailing boats of the mums, dads and kids who enjoy the boating benefits of our state.

When they run into trouble on the water who will tell them their lives have to be in danger before we can go to their help because we can’t afford to take our lifeboats out?

Contact Details:
Commodore Peter Phillipson, Officer Commanding

Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol
239 Spit Road
MOSMAN NSW 2088

Tel: 02 9961 3311 Fax: 02 9969 5214

Email: oc@coastalpatrol.com.au