Police to enforce life jackets mandate at Hill 60

NSW Police have confirmed to councillors that police would have responsibility for enforcing the lifejacket mandate, avoiding the need for Wollongong City Council staff to patrol the dangerous rock platform.

The news is a change from previous positions taken by councillors that action could only be taken once a coroner's report into the deaths of five fishers in 2021.

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Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the change was due to initiative taken by the police.

"I was approached by the police about the matter in light of the recent fatality," he said.

"Police have asked it to be progressed and assured that they would be responsible for the compliance and regular enforcement of it."

Clr Bradbery said that a motion would be put to the next council meeting, on May 23 to declare the Hill 60 rock platform a high-risk rock fishing declared area.

Councillor Mithra Cox said that in discussions after previous rock fishing tragedies there was not the offer of enforcement from NSW Police, and that this change allows for the mandate to be in place.

"It's unreasonable to expect Council Rangers whose normal day job is to do parking fines, do nuisance noises and all those sorts of things, to be risking their lives in a really high risk environment," she said.

"That has always been the reason, previously, why it's been really difficult for council to mandate life jackets on any of our rock shelves."

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A number of other high risk areas are declared throughout NSW, including along the coast in Sydney, the Central Coast and further north. These have been operating in some areas since 2017.

Councillor Linda Campbell said after being newly elected to council in 2021 she had expected more action to have been taken.

"I was surprised that no action had been taken," she said.

"I assumed that it was in hand, and it was only after the most recent tragedy that I realised that in fact, we're still waiting on the coroner's report, before we took any further action."

Clr Bradbery said there was some further work to do to clarify whether Hill 60 was Council's responsibility or the responsibility of Sydney Water, due to the treatment works on the point.

Once this is confirmed the proposal would be available for public comment, before it is finally confirmed.

However, police would not be able to immediately start issuing fines, with the Rock Fishing Safety Act 2016 including a 12 month grace period after a site is declared high risk before fines can be issued.

Wollongong MP Paul Scully said that action could have been taken earlier.

"We all want rock fishers to be able to enjoy their recreational pursuits safely," he said.

"It could have been safer, quicker had these discussions gone on earlier."

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