The Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority (Seacare Authority) assists the Australian maritime industry in minimising the human and financial costs of workplace injury.
What's New
The above link provides an outline of progress toward harmonisation of OHS laws and a comparison between model OHS legislation and the OHS(MI) Act.
The above link provides current and previous compensation benefits under the Seafarers Act.
The Seacare Annual Report 2008-09 is now available as a pdf or RTF file. A hard copy is also available and can be requested using the Comcare publications order form.
The Seacare Authority's second Health and Safety Representative (HSR) Forum was held on Thursday, 22 October 2009 at the WA Maritime Museum, Fremantle. The Forum summary, workshop outcomes and speaker presentations are now available.
Issue 18 - August 2009
Amendments to Seafarers Act
The Seafarers Act has been amended to provide for removal of discrimination against same-sex couples and their dependants and to provide for increased death benefits. The following provides a direct link to the current consolidated Seafarers Act incorporating those changes, located on www.comlaw.gov.au. The Seacare website provides a listing of and links to all relevant Acts, Regulations, Codes etc at www.seacare.gov.au/home/legislation.
Same-Sex Relationships
Effective from 10 December 2008, the Seafarers Act was amended by the Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws-General Law Reform) Act 2008 to remove discrimination against same-sex couples and their dependant children. See Notice No 06/2009.
Revised Indexation of Compensation Benefits
The indexation of benefits (effective from 1 July 2009) advised in Notice No 01/2009 has been revised. That Notice has been revoked and replaced by Notice No 05/2009.
Increased death benefits payable to dependants of seafarers came into effect from 4 June 2009. See Notice No 04/2009.
GIO-Vero has joined Allianz, CGU, Liberty and QBE as providers of workers compensation insurance to Seacare Scheme employers.
Three HSR training courses on OHS were accredited at the Seacare Authority meeting on 26 February 2009. These courses are provided by Certified Business Solutions (Bridging course and Full course) and Australian Institute of Technology Transfer (Full course). A listing of all accredited HSR training course providers can be found at www.seacare.gov.au/OHS/HSR_training_courses.
New Directory of Permanent Impairment Assessors
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) issued on 15 December 2008 Marine Notice 19/2008 Presence of Asbestos in Ships [link] reminding operators and ship owners of the prohibition on the use of asbestos in maritime workplaces since 31 December 2003 and the regulatory requirements relating to asbestos 'in-situ' prior to 31 December 2003.
The latest notices issued by the Seacare Authority are:
- Notice No 01/2010 - Maximum Level of Benefits (effective 2010) [pdf 86.7Kb]
- Notice No 08/2009 - Maximum Level of Benefits (effective 19 November 2009) [pdf 86.7Kb
- Notice No 06/2009 - Amendments to Seafarers Act re Same-Sex Relationships [pdf 113.9Kb]
- Notice No 05/2009 - Revised Indexation of Compensation Benefits (effective 1 July 2009) [pdf 108.5Kb]
- Notice No 04/2008 - Change to kilometre rate [pdf 86.1Kb] (effective 1 July 2008)
