Key outcomes from the 20 March 2025 Seacare Authority meeting

The Seacare Authority met in Melbourne on 20 March 2025. The key outcomes of the meeting are set out in this news item.

Seafarers Safety Net Fund (Fund) – Status and levy rate

The Seacare Authority considered the financial status of the Fund. The Seacare Authority agreed that no change would be made to the levy rate at this time.

The levy rate will next be considered at the Seacare Authority’s June 2025 meeting.

Review of exemption guidelines and form

The Seacare Authority reviewed its exemption guidelines and form and agreed for several updates to be made to both documents. Further details, and a period of consultation on the proposed changes, will be provided in due course.

HSR training guidelines

The Seacare Authority endorsed updated Health and Safety Representative (HSR) training guidelines (Guidelines), which now comprise of two documents for HSR training for the Seacare jurisdiction:

• course requirements, and
• provider requirements.

All future applications for accreditation or reaccreditation to offer occupational health and safety training for health and safety representatives, under the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 will be assessed in line with the new Guidelines.

The new documents are available on the Training providers page.

Working group to examine coverage of foreign flagged vessels

The Seacare Authority has decided to convene a working group to continue efforts to provide clarity on the coverage of vessels and employees under the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 and the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993, including the making of declarations for one or both of these Acts to apply to specific vessels (see the Declarations of coverage page).

Next meeting

The next meeting of the Seacare Authority will be held in Melbourne on 19 June 2025.