Sherry drowning inquest adjourned

22.07.2010

A CORONIAL inquiry into the drowning
deaths of Sydney couple Joseph
and Carol Sherry at South Ballina
Beach in January had an initial hearing
yesterday before being adjourned
until August.
Ballina Shire Council general manager
Paul Hickey and a legal representative
of the Department of the Environment,
Climate Change and Water
(DECCW) attended yesterday and will
return to the Ballina Courthouse on
August 18 when the inquiry is listed
for a three-hour hearing.
Mr Hickey said the council had been
listed as a party of interest and expected
to contribute to a discussion on surf
lifesaving.
"This is not an adversarial hearing,"
Mr Hickey said.
"We will be outlining what's provided
and give information on the surf
lifesaving environment."
He will attend the August hearing
with Jillian Pratten, council's manager
of open spaces and reserves.
Mark Pittavino, area manager of the
DECCW's Richmond River area, said
he also expected to attend the inquest.
He said signage along the beach was
likely to be one subject examined at
the hearing.
The Sherrys drowned after they
entered the water to rescue their children,
who had got into difficulty on the
unpatrolled beach near the South
Ballina Beach Holiday Park, where
they were staying.
Mrs Sherry saved her two youngest
children from a strong current, but
was swept out herself. Her husband
drowned trying to save her. Their
three children - Monique, 17, Elise, 14,
and Nicholas, 9 - raised the alarm.
The Western Sydney couple's
deaths sparked debate about the
standard of safety measures at the
increasingly popular beach.
Andrew Plint, chief executive officer
of Hannah's Foundation, the national
drowning prevention support group
that organised the Sherry Family Appeal,
also hopes to attend the inquest.
He said the foundation would be
very interested to learn if there was
adequate warning signage at tracks
and car parks, and if there was enough
advanced warning at tourist spots.