Edition 61, October 2008

Single maritime safety jurisdiction proposed

The Australian Transport Council, a Ministerial Council of State, Territory and Commonwealth Transport Ministers, recently agreed, subject to the outcome of a regulatory impact assessment process, to support the establishment of a single maritime safety jurisdiction administered by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

Currently across Australia, maritime safety is regulated by more than 50 pieces of legislation administered by eight independent maritime safety agencies.

The national system would be part of ATC's national action plan, A New Beginning for Transport (PDF 60KB), which encompasses a number of key national reforms designed to cut down red tape in the transport and logistics sector and deliver more consistency in the way transport is regulated across Australia.

Under the proposed national arrangement, the AMSA will become responsible for regulating vessel design, construction, equipment, vessel operation (e.g. safety management systems) and crew certification and manning. In exploring the arrangements which would underpin a national system, Ministers agreed to investigate the option of existing State and Northern Territory maritime agencies being the delivery agents for regulatory services under individual agreements with AMSA.

Consultations on a single national system for marine safety regulation were conducted around Australia in September and October.

For more information on the proposed establishment of a single national jurisdiction for marine safety regulation visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/maritime/safety/consultation.aspx

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