8Authorisation of investigator

8 Authorisation of investigator

(1)  If MAST decides to investigate a maritime incident under regulation 7 , MAST is to authorise a person as an investigator for the purposes of that investigation.

(2)  A person authorised as an investigator under subregulation (1) may be –

(a) a person employed or engaged under section 19 of the Act; or

(b) a State Service officer or State Service employee, if the Head of the State Service Agency by which the officer or employee is employed agrees to the authorisation; or

(c) a person that MAST is satisfied holds relevant expertise.

(3)  If subregulation (2)(b) applies, the investigator may perform the role of investigator in conjunction with State Service employment.

(4)  For the purposes of the investigation, MAST is to furnish the investigator with a letter, specifying the authority of the investigator, in an approved form.

(5)  The investigator is to investigate the maritime incident that he or she is authorised to investigate so as to establish –

(a) the circumstances in which the maritime incident occurred; and

(b) the cause of the maritime incident.

(6)  An authorisation under this regulation may be revoked by MAST on reasonable grounds at any time.