Victoria invites feedback on hoon jet ski laws

The state’s waterways safety watchdog, Marine Safety Victoria, said the new rule was being proposed “in response to concerns and risks arising from the operation of PWCs [personal watercraft] near other waterway users (particularly swimmers and bathers) within shared zones around Port Phillip Bay”.

“The proposed rule would prohibit irregular riding of PWCs in Shared Zones, and would require PWC operators to navigate the vessel in a direct line through shared zones,” MSV said in a media release inviting feedback.

“This is intended to help other waterway users predict the path of a PWC.”

The definition of “irregular riding” includes wake and wave jumping, surfing, erratic changes of direction, weaving, freestyling such as sharp turns, and semicircular or circular manoeuvres undertaken at any speed.

If the new shared zone rule is introduced, jet ski riders will have to drive slowly and in a straight line until they are far enough offshore to be outside the shared zone. The rule is similar to one that forces NSW jet ski riders to ride slowly until they are at least 200 metres offshore.

Local councils with Port Phillip Bay frontages are under increasing pressure from ratepayers irate at the number, and noise, from jet skis that launch at some of Melbourne’s busiest boat ramps and beaches, including Rye.

One of the concerns they raise is the safety of swimmers. Jet skis in Victoria are meant to keep at least a 200-metre gap from people in the water before they are forced to slow down to the equivalent of a fast walk to pass safely. They must also slow down within 200 metres of the shoreline if a house is closer than 100 metres.

MSV acting managing director Cameron Toy said the safety of swimmers and other people in the water was being compromised by the way some PWCs were being operated.

“In the six years to June 2018, PWC registration grew by 55.6 per cent,” Toy said. “The number of PWC owners and PWC endorsed marine licence holders now exceeds those for other types of powered vessels including boats.

“This growth has coincided with increasingly crowded shared zones and an increase in community complaints.

“Our concern is for the safety of all waterway users and the proposed rule is intended to reduce the risk of death and serious injury by making PWC riding in shared zones more predictable.”

Toy said the proposed rules would result in “no foreseeable loss of rights to PWC operators”, because existing waterway rules already had speed and distance restrictions.

People will be able to provide their feedback at engage.vic.gov.au/pwc-regulatory-reform.

Feedback will be used to develop a Reasons for Decision document that will outline if the proposed rule will be implemented and why.

“If the change is implemented and found to be successful, any proposal to extend it to other waterways would involve further public consultation,” Toy added.