Jet Ski riders in Sydney have been put on notice that dangerous and menacing behaviour – especially around swimmers – will not be tolerated, as authorities consider new no-go zones, new age limits, and a cap on horsepower for novice riders.
Following a number of dangerous Jet Ski incidents in the lead-up to summer, policymakers are investigating ways to use cameras to enforce speeding and other offences on the water.
It is part of a review by authorities looking to introduce new age restrictions and horsepower limits for novice Jet Ski riders.
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In a joint press conference held by NSW Police and NSW Maritime, authorities responded to community concerns after three Jet Skis were confiscated near Brighton Le Sands south of Sydney over two days last week.
The first Jet Ski was confiscated last Sunday after an unlicensed 17-year-old rider on an unregistered vessel tried to evade police after speeding and riding recklessly near swimmers.
The next day, two Jet Skis crashed into each other near the same area, with two of the four riders receiving injuries.
Fed up with the bad behaviour, NSW Police and NSW Maritime addressed media in a press conference on Tuesday morning, the day after the crash.
Authorities made public their plans to investigate the plausibly of using cameras to detect speeding and dangerous offences on the water.
And they confirmed there was already a review underway regarding minimum age requirements and power limits for novice Jet Ski riders.
Above: Police in Victoria use laser devices to detect speed on the water, the same units used to detect speed on the roads.
NSW Police Marine Area Command Acting Superintendent, Siobhan Munro, told the press conference:
“From the policing perspective, we know that it’s only a small percentage of Jet Ski riders that are doing the wrong thing.
“However, this small percentage, by overestimating their abilities by driving irregularly, by speeding, by creating a nuisance to members of the community, are endangering swimmers and putting lives at risk.
“A Jet Ski is like a motorbike on the water. They are high-powered, they operate very fast.
“A young person on a Jet Ski, they don’t have an L plate (learner plate) on the back like you do on a car, but they can go as fast as a car.
“So it’s a very dangerous craft to be handling, and for a young person … the risk is also increased.
“Absolutely it’s on our radar, that we need to keep young people safe, and other people around them safe when they’re on the water.”
When asked if authorities would look to introduce camera technology to enforce speeding and other offences on the water, Acting Superintendent, Siobhan Munro, told media:
“It’s something that we’re taking very seriously. We’re looking at working with Maritime and Government for some legislative change.”
Speaking at the same press conference, NSW Maritime Acting Executive Director, Darren Wood, told media:
“We have a regulation review coming up early next year to look at age limits on PWCs, Jet Skis and everything else involved in Jet Skiing on our waterways.
“Over the last 30 years Jet Skis have tripled in size, they’re three times heavier and three times faster than what they’ve ever been.
“They’re like a high-powered motorbike on the water, so we need to be very conscious of the damage that they can cause if they’re handled incorrectly … and used in areas of high density and where people are swimming.”
When asked about the possibility of introducing speed cameras on the water, NSW Maritime Acting Executive Director, Darren Wood, said:
“There are safety cameras that we have set up. They are CCTV cameras at this point. They stream back into our operations centre.
“We use those to work out where traffic density is and appropriately send resources, such as Water Police and Maritime vessels, to that location when there is an increased density of traffic.
“They (CCTV cameras) are under review, whether we can legally use them in the capacity for speed detection – and whether we actually have the ability to do that, and the complexities around … being able to get speed cameras on the water.
“It isn’t the same as being on the road. On the road, the roadway is in a fixed location and the cars are in fixed lanes. On the water it’s different.
“Vessels are travelling in areas where you can be 100 metres from the land (or) you can be 200 metres from the land, they can navigate in different directions and different angles.
“So it is complex and we will do our best to review that, to work out what we can and can’t do (with camera enforcement).
“In saying that, we do have the CCTV cameras, we are watching you. We will see you in our operations centre and we’ll send Water Police boats and Maritime boats out to intercept you if you’re doing the wrong thing.
“We have cameras in Wollongong, Lake Illawarra, Revesby, we have them at Botany Bay, we have them north of the coast, we have them up at Port Stephens.
“So if you’re out there and you’re not doing the right thing on the water, we will see you and we will come out after you.”
One industry expert suggested CCTV cameras could be used to enforce clearly visible no-go zones.
For example, if Jet Skis were banned from being operated within 200 metres of the beach – and therefore not allowed on the beach – in parts of Brighton Le Sands or elsewhere, then cameras could be used to enforce such a restriction.
NSW Maritime Acting Executive Director, Darren Wood, told the press conference:
“Jet Ski safety in Brighton Le Sands, George’s River, Revesby is highly focused for us at the moment.
“Botany Bay is a large waterway system. The beach needs to be 200 metres away before (a Jet Ski rider) can increase speed.
“In close near La Perouse, near Brighton Le Sands is no place for speeding.
“It is high density with vessels and it’s also high density with people trying to enjoy their weekend.
“There are swimming areas around that location, there are netted areas, there are also yellow buoyed areas around that location as well, where no vessels are allowed into.
“There is a nice safe place for swimmers to go to, and there is an area for Jet Skis to go to which is 200 metres off the shore of that beach.
“We are encouraging those that are using Jet Skis in that area to go out past 200 metres before you open up and hit (high) speed.
“We will be out there in force with the Water Police. We’ve done that every year – year in, year out – and we will continue to do that.”
NSW Police Marine Area Command Acting Superintendent, Siobhan Munro, told the press conference Jet Ski behaviour was “a whole state problem”.
“It’s a whole state problem, it’s not just in Brighton Le Sands but we are aware obviously of the Brighton Le Sands area and that’s why we’re increasing our enforcement there, we’re working together with Maritime, we’re getting our police on our … Jet Skis on the water so we can interact, we can educate.”
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