Victorian students have drawn on their creativity to send a clear message about the importance of safety on farms, contributing to a new safety campaign that will be rolled out state-wide.
Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes today visited Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School in Sunbury to announce the winners of KidSafe Victoria's Farm Safety Creative Competition which include a video made by Holy Trinity's prep students on how to be safe around farm animals.
The competition called on students to come up with their own farm safety designs based on the theme, Reducing Harm on the Farm. Students from Penshurst Primary School, Tarneit P-9 College, Willaura Primary School and Camelot Rise Primary School also won prizes for their outstanding posters and videos.
KidSafe Victoria will use the winning entries in a social media campaign in 2021 to raise awareness of farm safety among parents and carers.
As part of the Andrews Labor Government's Smarter Safer Farms initiative, KidSafe Victoria received $97,000 for a three-year program to help change attitudes about safety on farms from a young age and prevent deaths and injuries.
The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) found that children aged younger than 15 in Victoria's outer regional areas are four times more likely to die due to injury than children in our major cities.
Data shows that the major causes of hospital presentations and admissions for this age group are associated with transport, such as motorbikes and horses, and falls for the very young.
MUARC recommended addressing this problem through increased education and awareness of known injury hazards such as dams, farm equipment and off-road motorbike use.
As stated by Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes
"These outstanding videos and posters remind us that we all have a role to play in farm safety - it's never too early to teach children about farms as workplaces as well as homes."
"With summer holidays about to begin, it's important to remember that while farms can be wonderful places for children to visit and grow up, taking safety seriously saves lives and prevents serious injuries."
As stated by Member for Sunbury Josh Bull
"I'm really impressed by the creativity on show by these students - their voice will be an important one in helping everyone to be safe around farms."
As stated by KidSafe Victoria General Manager Jason Chambers
"The Reducing Harm on the Farm campaign provided children with the opportunity to take an active role in farm safety, while also helping to facilitate important discussions about farm safety among their families and wider communities."
