Qantas is embarking on a monumental new partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) to promote water safety ahead of summer and support their mission to achieve zero preventable deaths in Australian waters.
The four-year alliance brings together two likeminded brands with intrinsic links to Aussie culture and a shared commitment to the wellbeing of Australians and visitors, backed by over a century of joint credibility in safety, both in the air and on the ground.
At the heart of the collaboration, SLSA will launch a new online training tool called Beach Passport, in partnership with Qantas. Launching in time for the peak summer holiday period, the Beach Passport provides the public with basic water safety knowledge. It will be free, only takes 10 minutes to complete and is available to every Australian citizen and visitor at beachpassport.org.au.
To encourage people to use Beach Passport, Qantas is providing 150 Qantas Points to everyone who completes the course, along with the opportunity to go into the draw to win 1 million Qantas points.
The announcement comes as SLSA launches its national ‘Stop, Look, Stay Alive’ campaign for the 2024/25 summer season.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said the partnership unites two Australian organisations that share safety as core to their identity.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Surf Life Saving Australia, an organisation that has been safeguarding our beaches for over a century.”
“Safety is fundamental to us as the national carrier, and this partnership underscores our dedication to upholding the highest safety standards for Australians and visitors, whether on the ground or in the air. Our goal is that Beach Passport becomes a regular tool for all beachgoers for years to come.”
Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Adam Weir expressed the importance of educating Australians on water safety ahead of summer.
“Surf Life Saving Australia exists to save lives, create great Australians and build better communities and we cannot do this without the support of likeminded organisations.”
“There is a need for greater community education around hazard identification and water safety particularly in the lead up to summer and we’re thrilled we can start to close this gap through our new partnership with Qantas and the new Beach Passport.”
SLSA has over 300 clubs throughout Australia with Qantas’ support extending to all. It builds on more than seven years of support from the Flying Kangaroo to SLSA through its ‘Side-by-Side’ employee grants program. Each year through the Side-by-Side program, Qantas donates up to $250,000 to various causes that employees care deeply about, SLSA is one of the highest nominated organisations for an employee grant by its 27,000 strong workforce.