Released in 2018, the Sport 2030 National Sport Plan pursues the principle of ‘sport and physical activity for all, for life’. It promotes the notion that every Australian, at all stages of their life, can undertake the exercise they need and want in a safe, fun, and inclusive way, whether it is through sport or other types of activity. Importantly, The Sport 2030 National Sport Plan frames swimming as a skill for life, essential to all Australians due to our love of the water and our environment.

The plan states that every Australian child must have access to basic swimming and water safety skill education and knowledge of how to be safe when they are in, on, or around water. It cites the Royal Life Saving Society’s benchmark is that a child should be able to be buoyant in the water for at least 50 metres to save themselves.

The plan expresses concerns about falls in mandatory learn to swim program in schools, and cost of living pressures meaning families are not prioritising learning to swim. This results in many children will leave primary school this year without the swimming and water safety skills and knowledge they will need to be safe around water for the rest of their lives.

https://www.sportaus.gov.au/nationalsportplan/home