Schedule 1—Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law
Note: See section 4.
Part 1—Preliminary
This Law may be cited as the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law.
This Law commences as a law of this jurisdiction as provided by the Act of this jurisdiction that applies this Law as a law of this jurisdiction.
3 Objects of Law
The objects of this Law are as follows:
(a) to form a part of a cooperative scheme between the Commonwealth, the States and the Northern Territory that provides a single national framework for ensuring the safe operation, design, construction and equipping of domestic commercial vessels;
(b) to implement Australia’s international obligations in relation to the safety of domestic commercial vessels;
(c) to facilitate the development of a safety culture that will prevent, or mitigate the effects of, marine incidents;
(d) to provide a framework for the development and application of consistent national standards relating to the operation, design, construction and equipping of domestic commercial vessels;
(e) to enhance the efficient and orderly operation of domestic commercial vessels;
(f) to provide an effective enforcement framework.
4 Law binds the Crown
(1) This Law binds the Crown in each of its capacities.
(2) This Law does not make the Crown liable to a pecuniary penalty or to be prosecuted for an offence.
5 Extended geographical jurisdiction—category A
Section 15.1 of the Criminal Code (extended geographical jurisdiction—category A) applies to an offence against this Law.
6 Definitions
In this Law:
accredited person means a person who is accredited in accordance with regulations made for the purposes of section 160.
acquisition of property has the same meaning as in paragraph 51(xxxi) of the Constitution of the Commonwealth.
agency:
(a) of the Commonwealth, includes the following:
(i) an Agency within the meaning of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 of the Commonwealth;
(ii) a body corporate established for a public purpose by or under a law of the Commonwealth; and
(b) of a State or a Territory, includes the following:
(i) a Department of State (however described) of the State or Territory;
(ii) a body corporate established for a public purpose by or under a law of the State or Territory.
Schedule Sch 1 - Marine (Domestic Commercial Vessel National Law Application) Act 2013 - Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law | Zoe
approved training organisation means a training organisation that is approved in accordance with regulations made for the purposes of section 160.
certificate means any of the following:
(a) a certificate of operation;
(b) a certificate of survey;
(c) a certificate of competency.
certificate of competency means a certificate issued under section 60.
certificate of operation means a certificate issued under section 48.
certificate of survey means a certificate issued under section 38.
close quarters situation means a situation in which vessels pass each other, or a vessel passes another vessel, a person or an object, in such proximity that a reasonable person would conclude that in all the circumstances there was a risk of an imminent collision.
COAG means the Council of Australian Governments.
COAG Council means the council established by COAG that has responsibility for marine safety.
Commonwealth Minister means the Minister of State of the Commonwealth administering this Law.
company has the same meaning as in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 of the Commonwealth.
Note: Under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 of the Commonwealth, company includes an unincorporated association or body of persons.
crew of a vessel means individuals employed or engaged in any capacity on board the vessel on the business of the vessel, other than the master of the vessel or a pilot.
Criminal Code means the Criminal Code of the Commonwealth.
defence vessel means a warship or other vessel that:
(a) is operated for naval or military purposes by the Australian Defence Force or the armed forces of a foreign country; and
(b) bears external marks of nationality; and
(c) is manned by seafarers under armed forces discipline (however described).
domestic commercial vessel: see section 7.
enforcement powers: see section 105.
enforcement warrant means:
(a) a warrant issued under section 135; or
(b) a warrant signed by a magistrate under section 136.
entity means any of the following:
(a) an individual;
(b) a company;
(c) a trust;
(d) a partnership;
(e) a corporation sole;
(f) a body politic.
evidential material means:
(a) a thing with respect to which an offence against this Law has been committed or is suspected, on reasonable grounds, of having been committed; or
(b) a thing that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting will afford evidence as to the commission of an offence against this Law; or
(c) a thing that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting is intended to be used for the purpose of committing an offence against this Law.
foreign vessel has the same meaning as in the Navigation Act 2012 of the Commonwealth.
general monitoring powers: see section 104.
hire and drive vessel means any vessel which is let for hire or reward or for any other consideration, including vessels provided in conjunction with holiday establishments or hotels for the use of guests or tenants.
hirer of a hire and drive vessel means:
(a) a person who hires the vessel; or
(b) a person, other than the owner of the vessel or a person acting on the owner’s behalf, who operates the vessel while it is under hire.
improvement notice means an improvement notice issued under section 110.
infringement notice means:
(a) a notice that:
(i) is given under regulations made for the purposes of section 138 to a person alleged to have committed an offence against this Law; and
(ii) states that if the person pays a specified amount within a specified period the person will not be liable to be prosecuted for the offence; or
(b) a notice that:
(i) is given under regulations made for the purposes of section 162(3) to a person alleged to have contravened a provision described in that subsection; and
(ii) states that if the person pays a specified amount within a specified period the person will not be liable to proceedings for a civil penalty for the contravention.
just terms has the same meaning as in paragraph 51(xxxi) of the Constitution of the Commonwealth.
marine incident means any of the following:
(a) a death of, or injury to, a person associated with the operation or navigation of a domestic commercial vessel;
(b) the loss or presumed loss of a domestic commercial vessel;
(c) a collision of a domestic commercial vessel with another vessel;
(d) a collision by a domestic commercial vessel with an object;
(e) the grounding, sinking, flooding or capsizing of a domestic commercial vessel;
(f) a fire on board a domestic commercial vessel;
(g) a loss of stability of a domestic commercial vessel that affects the safety of the vessel;
(h) the structural failure of a domestic commercial vessel;
(i) a close quarters situation;
(j) an event that results in, or could have resulted in:
(i) the death of, or injury to, a person on board a domestic commercial vessel; or
(ii) the loss of a person from a domestic commercial vessel; or
(iii) a domestic commercial vessel becoming disabled and requiring assistance;
(k) the fouling or damaging by a domestic commercial vessel of:
(i) any pipeline or submarine cable; or
(ii) any aid to navigation within the meaning of the Navigation Act 2012 of the Commonwealth;
(l) a prescribed incident involving a domestic commercial vessel.
marine safety equipment means equipment designed or used to prevent a marine incident, or mitigate the consequences of a marine incident, and includes, but is not limited to, the following things carried or installed on a domestic commercial vessel:
(a) personal flotation devices;
(b) telecommunications systems;
(c) flares and other devices that can be used to attract attention to the vessel or indicate the vessel’s position;
(d) position identification systems;
(e) anchors and other devices that may be used to maintain the vessel’s position or stability;
(f) oars and other alternative means of propulsion;
(g) fire extinguishers;
(h) lights;
(i) thermal protective aids;
(j) such other equipment as is prescribed by the regulations.
marine safety inspector means:
(a) a person appointed as an inspector under section 91; or
(b) a member of the Australian Federal Police; or
(c) a member of the police force (however described) of a State or a Territory.
master of a vessel means the person who has command or charge of the vessel, but does not include a pilot.
monitoring purposes means one or more of the following:
(a) finding out whether this Law is being, or has been, complied with;
(b) assessing the correctness of information provided under this Law;
(c) investigating a marine incident.
monitoring warrant means a warrant issued under section 134.
National Marine Safety Regulator: see section 9.
National Regulator: see section 9.
National Standard for Commercial Vessels means the National Standard for Commercial Vessels adopted by:
occupier, in relation to premises, includes:
(a) a person who apparently represents the occupier of the premises; and
(b) if the premises are a vessel—the master of the vessel.
offence against this Law includes an offence against the Crimes Act 1914 of the Commonwealth or the Criminal Code that relates to this Law.
operate a vessel means:
(a) determine or exercise control over the course or direction of the vessel or over the means of propulsion of the vessel, whether or not the vessel is underway; or
(b) load or unload the vessel when it is moored or berthed.
owner of a vessel includes:
(a) a person who has a legal or beneficial interest in the vessel, other than as a mortgagee; and
(b) a person with overall general control and management of the vessel.
For this purpose, a person is not taken to have overall general control and management of a vessel merely because he or she is the master or pilot of the vessel.
partnership has the same meaning as in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 of the Commonwealth.
personal information means information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.
person assisting a marine safety inspector: see section 114.
pilot means a person who does not belong to, but has the conduct of, a vessel.
premises includes the following:
(a) a structure, building, vehicle, vessel or aircraft;
(b) a place (whether or not enclosed or built on);
(c) a part of a thing referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).
prohibition notice means a prohibition notice issued under section 111.
regulated Australian vessel has the same meaning as in the Navigation Act 2012 of the Commonwealth.
reviewable decision: see section 139.
this Law includes the regulations and any other legislative instrument made under this Law.
trust means a person in the capacity of trustee or, as the case requires, a trust estate.
trustee has the same meaning as in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 of the Commonwealth.
Uniform Shipping Laws Code means the Uniform Shipping Laws Code adopted by:
unique identifier, in relation to a vessel, means a unique identifier issued under section 31.
unsafe vessel means a vessel that is likely to endanger any person for any reason, including because of:
(a) the condition or equipment of the vessel; or
(b) the manner or place in which cargo or equipment on the vessel is stowed or secured; or
(c) the nature of the cargo; or
(d) the overloading of the vessel with people or cargo (including the submergence of the vessel’s load line); or
(e) the number of its crew or the qualifications of its crew or master.
vessel: see section 8.
vessel monitoring powers: see section 99.
warrant means a monitoring warrant or an enforcement warrant.
7 Definition of domestic commercial vessel
(1) In this Law:
domestic commercial vessel means a vessel that is for use in connection with a commercial, governmental or research activity.
(2) The use of a vessel in connection with an activity that is not a commercial, governmental or research activity at the same time as the vessel is used in connection with a commercial, governmental or research activity does not prevent the vessel from being a domestic commercial vessel.
(3) Despite subsection (1), a vessel is not a domestic commercial vessel if the vessel:
(a) is a regulated Australian vessel; or
(b) is a foreign vessel; or
(c) is a defence vessel; or
(d) is owned by:
(i) a primary or secondary school; or
(ii) a community group of a kind prescribed by the regulations.
Note: Generally an Australian vessel will be a regulated Australian vessel if it voyages outside Australia’s exclusive economic zone at any time. Regulated Australian vessels are dealt with by the Navigation Act 2012 of the Commonwealth rather than this Law.
(4) Despite subsection (3)(d), a vessel covered by that subsection is a domestic commercial vessel at any time when it is being used for:
(a) a purpose prescribed by the regulations; or
(b) an activity prescribed by the regulations.
(5) Despite subsections (1) and (2), the regulations may provide as follows:
(a) that a specified thing, or a thing included in a specified class, is a domestic commercial vessel;
(b) that a specified thing, or a thing included in a specified class, is not a domestic commercial vessel.
(6) Regulations made for the purposes of subsection (3)(d)(ii) may prescribe a kind by reference to a decision of the National Regulator.
(7) A vessel in the course of construction is a domestic commercial vessel if the vessel is, after completion, for use as a domestic commercial vessel.
(8) For the purposes of subsection (7), a vessel that has been launched, but has not been completed and delivered under the relevant building contract, is taken to be a vessel in the course of construction.
8 Definition of vessel
(1) In this Law:
vessel means a craft for use, or that is capable of being used, in navigation by water, however propelled or moved, and includes an air‑cushion vehicle, a barge, a lighter, a submersible, a ferry in chains and a wing‑in‑ground effect craft.
(2) Despite subsection (1), none of the following is a vessel:
(a) an aircraft;
(b) a thing that is a facility for the purposes of Schedule 3 to the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 of the Commonwealth.
(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), the regulations may provide as follows:
(a) that a specified thing, or a thing included in a specified class, is a vessel;
(b) that a specified thing, or a thing included in a specified class, is not a vessel.
Part 2—The National Marine Safety Regulator
9 The National Marine Safety Regulator
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is the National Marine Safety Regulator (referred to in this Act as the National Regulator).
Note: The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is established by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Act 1990 of the Commonwealth. Section 10 of that Act sets out the general powers of the Authority.
10 Functions of the National Regulator
The National Regulator has the following functions:
(a) to make and maintain Marine Orders made under section 163;
(b) to develop and maintain national standards, guidelines and codes of practice relating to marine safety;
(c) to issue unique identifiers and certificates for the purposes of this Law and perform other functions in relation to such identifiers and certificates;
(d) to accredit persons and approve training organisations for the purposes of this Law;
(e) to undertake investigation, monitoring and enforcement activities under or for the purposes of this Law;
(f) to consult appropriate authorities of the States and Territories, and other persons, associations and organisations, on matters related to the activities of the National Regulator;
(g) to collect and distribute information, and provide advice, to:
(i) the Commonwealth Minister; and
(ii) the States and Territories; and
(iii) the public;
on matters related to the activities of the National Regulator and the operation of this Law;
(h) to develop or commission education programs relating to marine safety;
(i) to collect, analyse and disseminate data relating to marine safety;
(j) such other functions as are conferred on the National Regulator by this Law or any other law (including a law of the Commonwealth, a State or the Northern Territory);
(k) to perform functions incidental to any of the previously described functions.
11 Delegation
(1) The National Regulator may, by writing, delegate one or more of the National Regulator’s powers or functions under this Law to one or more of the following:
(a) an officer or employee of an agency of the Commonwealth;
(b) an officer or employee of an agency of a State or the Northern Territory.
(2) A delegate of the National Regulator is subject to the National Regulator’s directions in the exercise of delegated powers and the performance of delegated functions.
(3) A person (the delegate) to whom a power or function is delegated under subsection (1) may, by writing, sub‑delegate that power or function to another officer or employee (the sub‑delegate) of the agency of which the delegate is an officer or employee.
(4) A sub‑delegate is subject to the directions of the delegate in the exercise of delegated powers and the performance of delegated functions.
(5) If the delegate is subject to a direction by the National Regulator in relation to the performance of the function or the exercise of the power sub‑delegated under subsection (3), the delegate must give a corresponding direction to the sub‑delegate.
(6) Sections 34AA, 34AB and 34A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 of the Commonwealth apply to a sub‑delegation in the same way as they apply to a delegation.
(7) The National Regulator must not delegate a power or function under subsection (1) to an officer or employee of an agency of a State or the Northern Territory without the agreement of the State or the Northern Territory, as the case requires.
Part 3—General safety duties relating to domestic commercial vessels
Division 1—Duties of owners
12 Duty of owners of domestic commercial vessels to ensure safety of vessels, marine safety equipment and operations
(1) An owner of a domestic commercial vessel must, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure the safety of:
(a) the vessel; and
(b) marine safety equipment that relates to the vessel; and
(c) the operation of the vessel*.*
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), an owner of a domestic commercial vessel contravenes that subsection if:
(a) the owner does not provide or maintain the vessel so that the vessel is, so far as reasonably practicable, safe; or
(b) the owner does not implement and maintain a safety management system that ensures that the vessel and the operations of the vessel are, so far as reasonably practicable, safe; or
(c) the owner does not provide, so far as reasonably practicable, such information, instruction, training or supervision to people on board the vessel as is necessary to ensure their safety.
(3) Without limiting subsection (1), an owner of a domestic commercial vessel contravenes that subsection if:
(a) the owner operates the vessel, or causes or allows the vessel to be operated; and
(b) the vessel is an unsafe vessel.
(4) Without limiting subsection (1), an owner of a domestic commercial vessel contravenes that subsection if the owner prevents or restricts the master of the vessel from making or implementing a decision that, in the professional opinion of the master, is necessary for the safety of a person or the vessel.
13 Offences relating to contraventions of section 12
(c) the person intends the act or omission to be a risk to the safety of a person or the domestic commercial vessel concerned.
(c) the person is reckless as to whether the act or omission is a risk to the safety of a person or the domestic commercial vessel concerned.
(c) the person is negligent as to whether the act or omission is a risk to the safety of a person or the domestic commercial vessel concerned.
(b) the act or omission contravenes section 12(1).
Note: For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.