Too many Māori and Asian people are drowning – can better cultural understanding reverse the trend?

Many New Zealanders consider the beach to be a great place for leisure activities. Despite our love of the water, New Zealanders have a terrible record of drowning deaths. Water Safety NZ and its partners do provide funding, information and training, but the key messages are not having the desired impact – especially with men and Māori and Asian communities. There is a clear need for culturally specific support in order to change attitudes and behaviours.