15Regulations respecting qualifications and watchkeeping obligations of masters, officers and seamen

#### 15 Regulations respecting qualifications and watchkeeping obligations of masters, officers and seamen (1) The regulations may specify standards of competence to be attained and other conditions to be satisfied, or specify conditions to be satisfied, by a person in order to be a qualified master, officer or seaman of any designation for the purposes of this Act. (1A) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), regulations may give effect to the STCW Convention. (1B) Regulations giving effect to the STCW Convention are not intended to exclude the operation of a law of a State or of the Northern Territory that gives effect to that Convention. (2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the conditions specified in regulations made for the purposes of that subsection may include conditions as to age, character, health, nationality, citizenship or residence, and regulations made for the purposes of that subsection may make provision for and in relation to: (a) the manner in which: (i) the attainment of a standard; or (ii) the satisfaction of a condition; is to be evidenced, including, in particular, the obtaining of certificates and other documents to be held by masters, officers and seamen as evidence that they are qualified masters, officers or seamen of particular designations for the purposes of this Act; (b) the issue, recall, surrender, replacement, form and recording of such certificates and other documents; (c) the duration, variation, renewal, suspension and cancellation of such certificates and other documents; (d) the instruction, training and examination of masters, officers and seamen, including the gaining of sea service and other experience, and the conduct of examinations, the conditions for admission to examinations and the appointment and remuneration of examiners; (e) the recognition, for the purposes of this Act, in whole or in part and whether conditionally or unconditionally, of certificates and other documents granted or issued to or in respect of masters, officers and seamen under the laws of a State or Territory or of a country other than Australia; (f) the reconsideration of decisions made under regulations made for the purposes of subsection (1); (g) the exemption of persons, in whole or in part and whether conditionally or unconditionally, from any requirement in relation to which provision is made by the regulations made for the purposes of subsection (1). (3) In subsection (2), decision has the same meaning as in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975.