Objectives

The Principal Objectives of APOLA are as follows….

(a) To promote, advance and support the work of wave pool and ocean lifeguards who are active in facilitating improvements in beach water safety and aquatic facility management for all users of the beach and aquatic facility environments.

(b) To provide a central senate for Australian wave pool and ocean lifeguards.

(c) To advance the interest of organisations supportive of Association objectives.

(d) To improve the knowledge and skills of wave pool and ocean lifeguards who are active in facilitating improvements in water safety and management of breaches and aquatic facilities.

(e) To increase community knowledge about the highly skilled, and valued work performed by professional lifeguards.

(f) To educate specific ocean and aquatic facility user groups and the broader community about beach water safety, conservation of the beach water environment, and risk minimisation when engaging with aquatic environments.

(g) To liaise with key professional rescue, medical, educational and regulatory providers to enrich inter-agency cooperation in the delivery of high quality client services.

(h) To advise and assist Local Government Councils, State and Territory Governments and other statutory agencies in establishing and maintaining appropriate high level professional standards in recruitment, training and operational practice for all lifeguards and aquatic personnel involved in aquatic safety education, training, supervision and management.

(i) To support Local, State and Federal Government authorities implement programs that contribute to water safety.

(j) To promote uniformity of laws for the control and regulation of the ocean, beach, aquatic facilities and immediate adjoining public reserves, and to assist regulatory authorities enforce these laws.