Page 615 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 1991
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Moreover, if the logic applied to the demolition of the weir were applied to ACT roads, then it would be fair to say that many would have to be closed to the public. Of course, this is never the case. Instead, we look at ways of making the roads safer. This is what needs to occur with Casuarina Sands weir.
The second argument, Mr Speaker, is the suggestion that there is a potential for a major damages suit against the ACT Government if it fails to do anything about the weir. I also find this suggestion to be misleading. Surely the potential for a damages suit exists with all ACT public areas, be they barbecue sites or children's playgrounds, swimming holes or roads. Mr Speaker, governments would shut down all activities if this argument was accepted, and put everybody in a balloon so that nothing would happen to them.
Mr Speaker, at this time it needs to be pointed out that tragedies have occurred in Canberra's recreational swimming areas and I would like to pay my respects to the families of those who have sadly drowned at these facilities. In particular, I should like to mention Mrs Elaine Campbell whose son, Mark, drowned with two other youths at the Casuarina weir in 1966. All members present may remember reading an article about the matter as recently as 13 February this year in the Canberra Times.
However, to best highlight the next point I need to make I shall refer members to the circumstances surrounding the tragic drowning of young Brandon McIlroy at the Casuarina Sands weir in November 1986. This needs to be done to show again that the danger at Casuarina Sands is not the weir, but, firstly, as I earlier mentioned, a dangerous flood condition, and, secondly, inefficient safety and rescue facilities in the general area. The fact was that there was a lass in the boat at the time who saw the danger, left the boat and swam to the shore. So the river was not flowing that fast. She was not prepared to go beyond the point that was dangerous.
The young gentleman wished to save his boat, I gather - we do not blame him for that - and decided to stay with it. We all remember the reporting of this profoundly disturbing event in which Brandon battled for 90 minutes to save himself. The lack of efficient safety and rescue facilities is underlined by the fact that emergency services had a full hour and a half to save Brandon but could not.
Some very basic questions come to mind. Where was the police rescue squad? Where was the ACT Fire Brigade? Where was the emergency rescue helicopter? Where were the safety features in the area, like a flying fox over the weir? Let me point out what was said by Mr Fowler of the Federal Fire Fighters Union to a newspaper after the coroner's report. He said that his office may have been
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