1.7 Public Accountability

Consultancy Services

In 2002–03 the Seacare Authority commissioned five consultancies:

• Taylor Fry Pty Ltd was engaged to collect and analyse Seacare scheme workers' compensation insurance premiums, scheme liabilities, scheme legal costs and related data to assist the Authority provide inputs to the National Comparative Performance Monitoring Report and the Authority's Annual Report. The cost of the consultancy is $16 000. No payments against this contract were made during 2002–03;
   

• Campbell Research and Consulting Pty Ltd was engaged to include Seacare scheme data in the 2002–03 Australasian Return to Work Monitor which surveys and reports on the return to work experience of injured workers, the outcomes of which are used in the National Comparative Performance Monitoring Report and the Authority's annual report. The cost of the consultancy is $11 768,of which $5 884 were paid during 2002–03;
   

• The Australian Maritime College (AMC Search Pty Ltd) was engaged on a retainer basis as the Authority's OHS representatives training course accreditation adviser. The contract price is $3 000 per accredited course. In 2002–03, one course was part accredited, resulting in no fees being paid during the year;
   

• Marsh Pty Ltd was engaged to provide brokerage services in assisting the Authority, as manager of the Seafarers Safety Net Fund, to arrange insurance for the Fund as required by the Seafarers Act. The contract price is $12 920, although no payments were made during 2002–03. The costs of this consultancy will be met from levy receipts for the Fund; and
   

• The Australian Maritime Industry Compensation Agency Ltd was contracted to provide Seafarers Safety Net Fund administration services for the Authority. The contract price is$55 400 per annum, of which $41 550 was paid during 2002–03.The costs of this consultancy are met from levy receipts for the Fund.

A total of $81 908 was paid for consultancies in 2002–03, comprising $18 392 for remaining payments from consultancies commissioned in previous years and $63 516 for consultancies commissioned in 2002–03 (of which $57 365 was repaid from levy collected for the Seafarers Safety Net Fund).

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External Scrutiny

There were no external reviews into the functions of the Seacare Authority during 2002–03.

Social Justice

A social objective of the Seafarers Act is to ensure that seafarers are not unfairly disadvantaged because of work-related injuries. The Authority reinforces this objective by providing information about the scheme to seafarers, employers, maritime unions, industry associations, insurance companies, insurance brokers and the legal and medical professions.

In 2002–03, the Authority improved access to information on rights, entitlements and obligations under the Seafarers Act by:

• maintaining its internet site (www.seacare.gov.au). The website contains information on the role and functions of the Authority, membership details, publications/forms, accreditation of OHS training courses, exemption from the application of the Seafarers Act, contact details, relevant legislation, related sites as well as the latest news of the scheme;
   

• maintaining a separate email address for the Authority (seacare@comcare.gov.au) for general enquiries and correspondence;
   

• maintaining a dedicated voicemail service to ensure that all inquiries are dealt with in an efficient and timely manner; and
   

• developing and distributing:

  •   brochures to employers covered by the Seacare scheme and to other interested parties; and

  •   Notices to Maritime Industry and Other Interested Parties when required.

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Access and Equity

The Seacare Authority provides information to members of the public. Information on accessing a telephone interpreter service is provided in all recent Seacare Authority publications.

Freedom of Information/Commonwealth Ombudsman requests, and Privacy Act matters

In 2002–03, the Authority received no requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, nor any inquiries from the Commonwealth Ombudsman or in relation to matters under the Privacy Act 1988.

Requests for Information

Members of the public may obtain information about the Authority or advice on how to lodge a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act by contacting:

Manager
Seacare
Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation
and Compensation Authority

GPO Box 9905
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Phone:	(02) 6275 0070
Fax:	(02) 6275 0067
Email:	seacare@comcare.gov.au

Service Charter

The Seacare Authority agreed to an Authority Service Charter for publication in January 2001. The Service Charter has been updated in harmony with the Government's Client Service Charter Principles as published by the Department of Finance and Administration in June 2000 as well as to reflect the concerns of those in the maritime industry. Members endorsed the revised Service Charter to commence from 1 July 2001 in May 2001.

The Authority continues to place a high value on meeting the service standards set out in the Charter. In 2002–03 there were no complaints lodged with the Authority, DEWR or Comcare regarding Authority service standards.

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1.8 Administrative Support

The Authority does not have its own staff. From 1 July 2002 to 10 June 2003 support for the Seacare Authority was provided by DEWR and the cost of administering the Authority was met through the DEWR annual appropriation. The Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment Act 2002 received Royal Assent on 12 December 2002 and commenced on 11 June 2003. This Act transferred support for the Seacare Authority from the DEWR to Comcare.

The staff made available by Comcare to support the Seacare function, known as the Seacare Management Group (SMG), are responsible for supporting the Seacare Authority and for performing the day to day regulatory functions of the Seacare Authority.

The SMG, under direction of the Authority, is responsible for:

• provision of secretariat, policy and strategic support to the Seacare Authority, and for implementing its decisions;
   

• administering Seacare scheme legislation and monitoring the operation of such legislation;
   

• managing the annual appropriation or supporting the Seacare function;
   

• monitoring, and reporting on, Seacare scheme performance;
   

• preparing an annual report to Parliament;
   

• reporting to the Minister; and
   

• promoting the objects of the Seacare scheme, particularly to reduce the human and financial costs of workplace injury in the Australian maritime industry.

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1.9   The Portfolio Budget Statement for the Seacare function

The Seacare function is separately identified as an Output in the Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS), issued as part of the annual Commonwealth budgetary process. In 2002–03 the Seacare Output (2.1.2), identified as Administration of the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992, contributed to the Government Outcome higher productivity, higher pay workplaces. This high level Outcome is one of two Outcomes which fall within the responsibility of DEWR.

As the Seacare function formally transferred to Comcare administrative management on 11 June 2003, under a machinery of Government change, it is the receiving agency which formally reports on performance of the Output. Accordingly, readers are referred to the Comcare Annual Report 2002–03, available at www.comcare.gov.au  fora report on Output 2.1.2, translated to Comcare Output 1.5. This Seacare Authority annual report also provides comprehensive performance information on the Output, at Chapters 2, 3 and 4. Financial statements associated with the operation of the Seacare function are reported in the DEWR Annual Report 2002–03, available at www.dewr.gov.au.

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1.10   Other reporting requirements

As the Seacare Authority does not have its own staff, the following annual reporting requirements are reported in the DEWR Annual Report 2002–03:

• Corporate governance;
   

• Management of human resources;
   

• Purchasing;
   

• Assets management;
   

• Advertising and market research;
   

• Occupational health and safety; and
   

• Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance.

The DEWR Annual Report 2002–03is available at www.dewr.gov.au .

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