Belinda Lawton

Research and Communications, BSRG

Belinda is a PhD candidate in health policy at the Australian National University and works across research and communications for the Beach Safety Research Group at UNSW Sydney. Prior to commencing her role at UNSW Sydney Belinda was National Manager of Communications at Royal Life Saving Society – Australia. This followed her engagement in several roles at the Australian National University working to the executive, culminating in her appointment as Government Relations Manager for the university. She has previously worked with Royal Life Saving Society – Northern Territory as both a staff member and board member, and represented RLS-NT on the national board. Belinda also served as Director of Corporate Affairs for the Hospital of Hope Timor-Leste and as Communications Manager for The Alliance for Safe Children, operating across Thailand, Bangladesh and Vietnam. She is well connected to the drowning prevention sector at the national and sub-national level in Australia, and also politically via previous roles as political staffer and journalist for News Limited. Belinda has presented her research at conferences in Australia, Singapore and Timor-Leste.

Publications:

Peden AE, Lawton B. Learn to Swim for University Students: Evaluation of a water safety program at UNSW Sydney. Sydney: UNSW Beach Safety Research Group; 2025.

Peden AE, Lawton B. Qualitative insights on international students’ experiences with the Learn to Swim and Beach Ocean Safe programs at UNSW Sydney. Sydney, Australia: UNSW Beach Safety Research Group; 2024.

Peden AE, Scarr J, Doan Minh T, Latif R, Le Thi Anh D, Chong TL, Lawton, B et al. Drowning prevention challenges and opportunities: an exploratory study of perspectives of delegates from ASEAN nations. PLoS One. 2024;19(6):e0304138.

Olsen A, Lawton B, Dwyer R, Taing MW, Chun KLJ, Hollingworth S, et al. Why aren’t Australian pharmacists supplying naloxone? Findings from a qualitative study. International Journal of Drug Policy. 2019;69:46–52.

Sitthi-amorn C, Chaipayom O, Udomprasertgul V, Reinten Tr, Linnan M, Dunn T, Lawton, B. Adult injury in Thailand: a report on the Thai National Injury Survey. College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University; 2008.

Linnan M, Rahman A, Scarr J, Reinten-Reynolds T, Linnan H, Rui-wei J, et al. Child Drowning: Evidence for a Newly Recognized Cause of Child Mortality in Low and Middle Income Countries in Asia [Innocenti Working Papers] [Internet]. Vol. 2012/07. UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre; 2012 May [cited 2026 Feb 27]. (Innocenti Working Papers). Report No.: 2012/07. Available from: https://www.un-ilibrary.org/content/papers/25206796/78 doi:10.18356/6f5e0df6-en (Contributor)