Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to speak on this private member's bill, the Marine Engineers Qualifications Bill 2013, moved by the member for Denison. It is an important matter and the bill goes to the qualification standards of marine engineers, watchkeepers, deck officers and others in the Australian maritime industry.

It is important for the reasons that the honourable members have outlined: it goes to safety in an important industry; it goes to the safety of the men and women who staff our vessels up and down our coastlines; and it goes to the safety of our marine environment more generally—not only human safety but environmental safety, as the honourable member for Kennedy alluded to.

I want to focus on the matters that the member for Denison and the member for Kennedy have dealt with. The concern arises out of changes to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, which was agreed to internationally a few years ago and which reduced the minimum standards of training from three years to 12 months. I know there is genuine and valid concern about that. I understand that these changes, which were negotiated through the International Maritime Organization, were instigated by Iran—and I am not sure that that is necessarily an indication of world's best practice when it comes to maritime safety.

I note that AMSA has given sworn evidence before Senate estimates that it has no intention of reducing the requirement from three years down to 12 months. That was almost exactly 12 months ago, on 23 May 2012, under questioning by Senator Williams:

Mr Kinley: There is no proposal to compress that from three years to one year.

Senator WILLIAMS: It will not happen?

Mr Kinley: No.

This was then prosecuted again a few months later in the estimates of October 2012, where again Mr Kinley made it clear that there was no intention of doing that—and that is very welcome, I must say.

I understand the intention of the honourable member for Denison to enshrine this in legislation. There have been concerns expressed by the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers—which, in my experience, is a very considered body that makes considered approaches to public policy and in the national interest. They have expressed an ongoing concern to ensure that there is no diminution of the requirements of training and qualifications. I do understand, let us be clear, the worldwide move to more competency based standards and the focus on outcomes rather than inputs when it comes to training. But there do need to be minimum standards, and they are currently outlined in regulations.

As I said, the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers has taken an approach which I think is a considered one, and I would certainly encourage AMSA to engage with the institute in a considered, thoughtful and open-minded way. AMSA has important responsibilities which it does acquit, but it is important to be consultative with the key players and experts in their field. The institute has, for example, recognised that there are skill shortages in the industry and has taken steps to work constructively to see those skill shortages met through sensible immigration. I would again say that that is an approach that should be welcomed and I would encourage AMSA to work constructively with the institute in that regard.

The government's position is that the requirements are appropriately dealt with in regulation and, as such, this legislation will not be supported by the government. But I do take this opportunity in the House to indicate that I do think it is important that AMSA and the government—and AMSA, in particular, as the regulator—constructively work with all stakeholders, including the institute, which has brought some expertise to this field and has taken a constructive approach.

Obviously any moves to reduce the requirements for training for marine engineers, deck officers, watchkeepers and others will be very closely scrutinised in the public and in this House and the other place, as they should be. AMSA have an important role to play in regulating our marine and transport safety, and I am sure that they will continue to engage very constructively with all stakeholders, including the institute, as they carry out that role.

See this speech in context