The peak body representing the Australian boating industry – and all three personal watercraft brands Sea-Doo, Yamaha WaveRunner and Kawasaki Jet Ski – are calling for:
- Tougher enforcement on waterways;
- More licence cancellations for dangerous riding behaviour;
- A change to legislation so fines can be issued for offences caught on camera.
Following a surge in dangerous Jet Ski riding behaviour in NSW this year – including a fatality and a number of serious injury crashes – the Boating Industry Association (BIA) this week called on authorities to:
- Introduce camera-detected infringements in known trouble-spots on NSW waterways;
- Suspend or cancel boating licences and seize vessels for dangerous riding offences;
- Introduce “hoon” legislation to combat dangerous riding offences;
- Introduce a demerits points system for Jet Ski licences (similar to car licences);
- Work with the boating industry to introduce a safety campaign that promotes responsible Jet Ski riding.
The above list is merely a proposal. There is no guarantee the changes will be introduced.
However, separate to this, authorities in NSW are actively considering an increase to the minimum age for Jet Ski licence holders from 12 to 16 – and introducing a horsepower limit for novice riders.
Above: Authorities recover a damaged Jet Ski following a fatal crash earlier this year.
In a media statement issued this week, the CEO of the Boating Industry Association, Andrew Fielding, acknowledged there is a risk that the bad behaviour of a small number of Jet Ski riders will adversely impact the majority of people who do the right thing.
Law-abiding Jet Ski riders are frustrated that bad behaviour on the water will prompt authorities to introduce more “no-go” zones.
Figures tabled in NSW Parliament last year showed there were 91,000 personal watercraft (or Jet Ski) licence holders in NSW versus 459,000 boat licence holders.
The data showed revenue in NSW from personal watercraft (Jet Ski) licence fees increased from $6.5 million in the 2018-2019 financial year, to $11.1 million in the 2023-2024 financial year.
It means the revenue from Jet Ski licence fees in NSW has almost doubled in five years.
The Jet Ski figures compare to $19.8 million from boating licence fees in NSW in the 2018-2019 financial year, to $19.9 million in the 2023-2024 financial year, showing a more stable source of revenue.
The data shows that although Jet Ski riders only account for 20 per cent of all boat licence holders in NSW, they accounted for 55 per cent of boating licence revenue in NSW in the 2023-2024 financial year.
The new safety campaign is being funded by Sea-Doo, Yamaha WaveRunner and Kawasaki Jet Ski – all of whom banked huge profits amid the surge in Jet Ski sales during COVID-19, but are yet to reinvest in education programs and have instead left it to authorities.
“The Boating Industry Association campaign aims to alert anyone contemplating getting into or currently riding (a Jet Ski) to know their responsibilities,” Mr Fielding said in a media statement.
“We want to encourage (Jet Ski) riders to better manage risks that can lead to conflict or serious incidents.
“The industry does not support behaviour which is unsafe or dangerous on the waterways.
“That is why we are running this targeted public awareness campaign to promote responsible ownership of (Jet Skis). It is also why the Boating Industry Association is calling for increased education and compliance efforts by government authorities.”
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