Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There can be done no doubt that an efficient, competitive and safe shipping industry is a critical thing for Australia. So too, therefore, is public confidence in the people who build, man and repair the vessels which fleet the industry. When all is said and done this private member's bill, the Marine Engineers Qualifications Bill 2013, seeks to address what appears to be a dispute between the government, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the AIMPE, which is the union that covers marine engineers, over the standards required to qualify as a marine engineer. I know there are other issues. For example, one issue at the heart of the dispute is the decision to dramatically reduce the number of training years required to qualify from three years down to one. Another is the decision to abolish the current requirement that applicants must pass a verbal test by an AMSA examiner in order to be issued an engineer's certificate of competency.

As I understand it, over many years the union has conferred with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority on the engineering reforms needed to the regulations that are known as the Maritime Orders Part 3. The orders prescribe the safety training certification requirements for marine engineers. I further understand that, in recognition of the fact that reform is required, the union had agreed in principle to a number of changes which, from its perspective, went to the heart of maintaining qualifications and standards—things like the formal recognition of prior learning experience and pathways to higher positions of responsibility.

We all understand the shift in recent years from the traditional, time based model to a competency based system. However, there appear to be legitimate concerns about some aspects of that new system. On the other side of the debate, the minister has pointed out a number of concerns with respect to this private member's bill. He says, 'The passage of this bill would result in Australia introducing outdated standards, inconsistent with global shipping, resulting in Australian shipping contravening international training and certification standards and conventions.' It appears to me that this issue could best be resolved by sitting down with the industry and discussing these issues.

Debate interrupted.

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