Speeches
Saturday, 20 June 2026
Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence for 2026
Rod and I, as your Patron, are pleased to be here this evening for the Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence for 2026.
This past year, the dedication of nearly 8,000 volunteers ensured that more than 600,000 beachgoers were kept safe along our coastline.
The season tested you in ways few could have anticipated, from extreme heatwaves to the unprecedented algal bloom that affected so much of our coast.
When the South Australian Government turned to Surf Life Saving SA to help respond to the algal bloom, it did so because it knew you could be trusted to deliver.
That trust is placed in Surf Life Saving SA by every South Australian who steps onto a beach knowing volunteers are watching over them.
It is a profound responsibility, and a hugely valuable asset for any community to have.
This evening, through the awards we present, I believe we will be reminded of exactly why that trust has been so firmly earned.
I commend Surf Life Saving SA's unwavering commitment to education and capability building, with club education volunteers delivering close to 800 nationally recognised awards this year alone.
I am pleased to see that this dedication to training extends throughout the year, building the skills that keep our beaches safe season after season.
I am encouraged by the organisation's reach into the community, from programs supporting newly arrived South Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, to the Welcome to SA Shores program, which together gave hundreds of people the confidence to enjoy the water safely.
I note, too, the investment being made in the next generation, through development camps that build leadership and confidence among young members.
The Future Lifesavers program in Whyalla and Murray Bridge, together with new Rippers and Nippers programs at Lake Bonney and Murray Bridge, are forging new pathways into lifesaving for regional communities.
I am particularly pleased to note that Murray Bridge Life Saving Club gained its first ever patrolling members this year, a notable contribution to the growth of this movement.
Friends,
Tonight, we recognise individuals and groups across youth, education, sport, volunteering and lifesaving categories who have SLSSA values, often over many years of service.
To those joining the Hall of Fame, and to all finalists and winners, I extend my congratulations on this exceptional contribution to community safety.
I thank the Surf Life Saving SA board and staff for their leadership, and for the work that has gone into organising this evening's awards.
To every volunteer across South Australia's beaches, rivers, lakes and pools, please accept my deepest gratitude for the work you do.
As Surf Life Saving SA looks ahead, I have no doubt it will continue to be the steady hand our community relies on, now and for the next hundred years.