State Safety Award for jetski campaign

NSW Maritime has won the 2011 NSW Water Safety Community Education Project of the Year Award for its work in promoting safe and responsible use of personal watercraft.
 
The AUSTSWIM sponsored awards were held in Sydney and attended by several hundred members of numerous organisations dedicated to promoting water safety.
 
The Minister for Sport and Recreation Graham Annesley presented the NSW Community Education Project of the Year Award to NSW Maritime for its Take it Easy campaign.
 
The Take it Easy campaign was run in the summer-autumn of 2011 and was aimed at young men who ride personal watercraft (PWC) such as Jet Skis, Seadoos and Waverunners.
 
The Take it Easy campaign featured comedian Rob Shehadie and was noted for its community engagement activities that included safety "lightning strikes" at local beaches, community media actions, community involvement, lifejacket promotions and use of social media such as Youtube.
 
Take it Easy was a dedicated element of a wider education program called Ride Smart which was aimed at people who use PWC statewide.
 
The entire campaign was launched in late 2010 and featured a safety DVD, flyer, compulsory behaviour sticker, advertising, booklet, waterproof licence card holder/ phone pouch and mini-website featuring multi world surfing champion Tom Carroll and multi world PWC champion Kylie Ellmers.
 
NSW Maritime intends to continue to promote both Take it Easy and Ride Right in the lead up to and throughout this coming summer boating season. Last year was the safest summer boating season since records began and NSW Maritime wants to build on this.
 
The Take it Easy Youtube video can be viewed at
 
The Boat for Life mini website can be viewed at http://www.boatforlife.com.au/tc/index.html