The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 1

The BAY AGE I 1 WIN A Details Page 9 PUT ILifiLnl INTO YGU GUrJDAY Anew section witti food, fashion and Hazel Hawke 1 Wasted lives: the faces of children who have died in backyard pools and spas WA polls. Liberals: smeakiitt 4M Ik A mm mm Danielle Carey, 16 months: drowned on 1 1 March 1991, In the unfenced spa pool of family friends. Michael Gutyas, 3: drowned on 14 December 1992 Matthew dimming, 16 months: died on 15 Febru-in the family's fenced pool- ary 1992, in the unfenced pool of family friends. 17 7 Willi i' jr i i by Denise Ryan THESE are the faces of children whose lives have tragically ended In backyard swimming pools and spas. In most cases- a perimeter safety fence would have saved them.

'The Sunday Age' today presents this gallery of young lives lost, only after obtaining In each case the permission of grieving parents. They agreed to be Interviewed In the hope that It might prompt the Kennett Government to deal with the Issue. Ten children, each as beautiful and full of life as those pictured, drown in backyard spas and pools in Victoria every year. Such deaths are preventable. As three Victorian coroners found following Inquests, in each case a properly maintained fence around the pool or spa would have saved the child's life.

The coroners agreed that, in most cases, supervision alone would not have saved the infants, as tragedy occurred because of a normal, momentary distraction such as a telephone ringing. 'The Sunday Age' has spoken to the parents of nine children who drowned in Victoria over the past four years. The parents allowed a photograph to be published in the hope that an Image of their child would jolt pool and spa owners Into making their yards safe. They also wanted to warn other parents of how quickly and silently a child could drown. There was also anger that successive state governments had Ignored three coronial calls for mandatory fencing of pools.

Instead, the Planning Minister, Mr Rob Maclellan, plans to Introduce a law whereby pool owners can get a certificate indemnifying them against legal action in th event of a pool accident If they Improve the safety of their pools. The proposed law has been condemned by the Child Accident Prevention Foundation and the Royal Children's Hospital, who say that 90 per cent of children drown at home or at a friend's house, so there Is no fear of legal action to make owners improve pool safety. Parents the people who have paid most for the lack of regulation on pools and spas want the Government to toughen the law. Mrs Kathy Haythorne says: "I would consider myself a fairly aware person who has been around pools and spas a lot Yet I didn't realise how quickly and silently it could happen. We were careful people.

I know that might sound silly, given what happened. But It can happen to anyone. We learnt that In the hardest way possible." Mrs Deldre Cumming: "If there had been a fencing law all those that lost their child in the last few years might still have them today. It makes you very angry. You feel like going Into Parliament and ripping strips off somebody, saying: 'If that was your son or daughter you would do something about Mrs Cheryl Cook: "Another 25 little kids have died since the coroner's recommendation in 1990.

Their parents wouldn't have had to go through what they did if the Government had done something. I know ail parents feel blame, but the Government has got to take Its share of the blame as well." a How nine lives were lost, PB By David Humphries, Michael Gordon and AAP THE Liberal-National coalition led by Mr Richard Court was elected In Western Australia yesterday, with Labor losing four seats and six still doubtful. The Premier, Dr Carmen Lawrence, conceded defeat about 9.30 pm, WA time, saying that the result bad not been as bad as expected. Dr Lawrence said about half the electors in Western Australia had voted Labor, which meant It was still a force to be reckoned with. "We expect to be back In power in four years' time," she said.

The swing against Labor was about 3.6 per cent, but the Liberals were picking up Just 0.8 per cent of that, with Independents and minor picking up the bulk. The size of the swing compared with earlier opinion polls which suggested that Labor could lose up to half its parliamentary representation is good news for the Prime Minister, Mr Keating, as he approaches a federal election. A spokesman for Mr Keating last night said the result held some encouragement for the Labor Party. Mr Keating's spokesman said Dr Lawrence had conducted a al campaign "and her high personal -standing and Integrity has clearly figured in holding Labor's The Labor Party national secretary, Mr Bob Hogg, said Labor would not concede one federal seat on the basis of the result "I'm sure none of our members would, either," be said. The federal director of the Liberal Party, Mr Andrew Robb, said he was pleased with a result that showed "people are of a mind to punish bad "The win will be a morale boost to the Liberal Party across Australia.

It reinforces that there is a mood for change that 10 years Is too long." While Mr Robb said the poll was fought on state issues, he believed the mood for change would translate In a federal result The WA Liberal Party president Mr Bill Hassell, said eight seats had fallen to the Liberals. They were Bunbury, Dianella, Swan-Hills, Armadale, Murray, Northern Rivers, Whitford, and Wanneroo. The seats of two ministers Mrs Pam Beggs and Mrs Kay Halla-ban were among those. New shock in McLeay case THE Commonwealth would have been liable for a payeut at more than the paid Lea McLeay after his bicycle accident if it bad defended the compensatioa elahn and taken It court, according to confidential advice to the Federal Government. But a confidential minute from the Department Finance also shews that regulations under the Audit Act were breached In the McLeay case and the payout was not referred te the department for approval It has also beea revealed that since the claim, made after the accident In ltN, the threshold for ccm-pensation payments that must be referred to the department has beea lifted from to S1H.H.

Full report. P2 Mrs Beggs said it looked as If she had lost her mortgage-belt seat of Whitford In Perth's northern suburbs. "It does look as though the seat is going to the Liberals," she said. "I think they're going to win by a nose." Labor's support held up better In traditional Labor seats and outside Perth where voters were apparently scared back to the party by its attempts to link the state coalition to the Kennett Government's industrial reforms in Victoria. The Federal Government would lose four seats in WA with a swing to the coalition at the federal election of 2.4 per cent including the seat of Employment Minister and future leadership contender, Mr Kim Beazley.

Other vulnerable seats Include Labor's most marginal seat Stirling, held by the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Ron Edwards (0.2 per cent); Cowan, held by Ms Caroline Jacobsen (0.9) and Canning, held by the parry's whip, Mr George Gear (1.8). A five per cent swing would place at risk the seat of Perth, being contested by Mr Stephen Smith, the former adviser to Mr Keating, and Brand, held by the Minister for Arts and Territories, Ms Wendy Fatin. i Travis Cook, 2: drowned on 8 October unfenced pool at his family home. i 'fit Jamie Foster, neighbor's 2: drowned on 16 April 1992 in a pool. It was fenced, but poor repair.

1989 an Mcnoias Leery, 3: drowned on 24 December 1989, an unfenced pool In his grandmothers yard. km Jane Vincent, 2: drowned on 18 October 1989, in an unfenced pool at his home. Cetki Cocuck, 2: drowned on 27 June 1991, In an Zac Haythome, 15 months: drowned on 1 7 Novem-unfenced spa pool on a stranger's property. ber 1991 an unfenced spa pool at his home. Still the top Passbook His worship the worse for for Savers Hawke: PM must tell rIE Government's decision to delay the Introduction of MDS (microwave-based) pay-TV is "strange and remarkable" and has to be publicly Justified or changed, says the tor-mer prime minister, Mr Bob Hawke, writing In today's 'Sunday Age'.

He dismisses Government sensitivity to his criticism of the decision, saying the Issue will not go away. Failure to explain the move will hurt Labor more than his comments will, he says. And he says that although he wants Labor to win the election, it would not be "responsible" for him to remain silent when he believes the Government has got It wrong. a Bob Hawhe's column, 1B v5 wear Roberts was at the time a director, company solicitor and company secretary for DGB. Councillor Locco, Mr Roberts and Mr Brown have all failed to answer calls from 'The Sunday Age' but racing sources say their horse, Jolly Joker, Is for sale.

Brighton town clerk Ray Cobaln, when asked about the sacking of Mr Greene, said: "I terminated the services of an employee. That arose from events on 1 February. I cannot say any more." Mr Greene confirmed he had been sacked and that he would be taking legal action for unfair dismissal. at the baths kiosk had been given, without calling normal tenders, to a building firm linked with one of the mayor's racing associates, former mayor Bryan Roberts. Councillor Locco, who chief bouncer at Brighton's Marine Hotel, received a broken nose In the fight; Mr Greene suffered a black eye and neck Injuries.

The report revealed that although Councillor Locco claimed he had not known Mr Roberts was connected with the building Arm, he was co-owner of a racehorse with both Mr Roberts and Donald G. Brown, chief of the same firm, DGB Builders. Mr John Loooo (few)) and Mark Qfosnsw By Lawrence Money, Spy columnist THE Brighton mayor ended up In hospital, the manager of the local baths was sacked and Brighton police are considering assault charges against both men over a fist fight which occurred 24 hours after a report In The Sunday Age' Spy column last weekend on financial shenanigans In the blue-chip seaside suburb. The Brighton mayor, John Locco, and the manager of the council's IKDZX 16 14 tOtortalUtters CMselfMos Real Cstata Ufa 10 Ufa 12 Agenda Agenda 12 eeee Television Your Investment Passbook earns you good interest, calculated daily. Your balance won't be eaten up by fees because you don't pay any.

Middle Brighton sea-water baths, Mark Greene, traded blows on Monday, the day after the Spy column reported that $54,000 construction Job DRUG THREAT Drug barons could soon start pushing "crack" cocaine Melbourne, one of the nation's top law agencies has warned. a Report, P3 fell ATH2R nCTORIA: FEWER GO BUST Corporate Insolvencies In Victoria by a third last year, providing further evidence that trading conditions are Improving. a Report, P17 PIES LOSE STAR Star centreman Nathan Buckley is expected to abandon his dream to play for CoWngwood and sign up with the Bears. Report, Sport Hftout A hot to vary not day, line to most Ahotdav wMi a Ma tram. Detass, P2.

r- flwfclBOURNE "TV mwt to ymm mwl li Bn4 to Ow ftr 7 6T. tlMillSIOOQ. Bank of Melbourne cuts the cost of banking Head Office: 52 Collins Street. Melbourne 3000 Max. 40.

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