Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The purpose of this Bill, the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Amendment Bill 2014 (National Law Bill) is to amend the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012 (National Law Act) to ensure that it operates as it was originally intended.

The National Law Act commenced on 1 July 2013, introducing nationally consistent law for the regulation of domestic commercial vessel safety and establishing the Australian Maritime Safety Authority as the National Regulator for the domestic commercial vessel fleet operating in Australian waters across all states and territories, including Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

The amendments in the National Law Amendment Bill have been agreed by all transport ministers at the Standing Council of Transport and Infrastructure Ministers meeting in November last year.

The National Law Bill will ensure the national regulator is able to exercise discretion when considering the suspension, revocation and variation of vessel certificates. This will provide greater flexibility to accommodate the variety of operational variables within Australia’s domestic commercial vessel fleet.

This bill also provides minor amendments to ensure the definition of ‘defence vessel’ aligns with the Navigation Act 2012, which also deals with marine safety.

In addition to those amendments already mentioned, the National Law Bill provides amendments to ensure the National Law Act:

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.