HAVING no marine-related injuries or collisions between boats or jet-skis over the Australia Day weekend proved the success of Operation Unity, police say.
Peninsula police teamed up with the Water Police in the three-day foreshore and beach operation focusing on water safety, marine compliance and public order. This followed several weeks of increased and serious marine-related incidents in waters from Mount Martha to Portsea.
Police, supported by other government and volunteer agencies, detected 588 offences and issued 66 infringement notices to jet-ski riders and boaters, with about half relating to speeding or irregular operation within five-knot zones.
Rosebud Acting Sergeant Flyn Loughlin said the fact that there was a highly visible police presence on the water, particularly at the southern end of Port Phillip and across the peninsula, helped reduce the number of marine-related injuries and collisions.
“We also had a highly visible police presence on land right across our foreshore precincts,” he said.
“We won’t tolerate poor behaviour that jeopardises the safety of other water users.”
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 2 February 2021
