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Seacare Overview

Seacare is a national scheme of occupational health and safety (OHS), rehabilitation and workers’ compensation arrangements which applies to defined seafaring employees and – in relation to OHS – defined third parties.

The scheme is overseen by the Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority – otherwise known as the Seacare Authority – which comprises an independent Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, two employer representatives and two employee representatives.

The Seacare Authority oversees the operation of the:

The Authority also administers Regulations made under these Acts.

Mission

The mission of the Seacare Authority is:

To take a leading role in minimising the human and financial costs of workplace injury in the Australian maritime industry.

Membership

The Authority is comprised of a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, two employer representatives, two employee representatives and the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

Comcare provides policy, administrative and secretariat support to the Authority.

AMSA performs the inspectorate function for OHS matters.

Current members of the Seacare Authority are:

Chairperson:

Mr David Sterret, Chair of the Australian Maritime College Board

Deputy Chairperson:

Mr Paul O'Connor, Chief Executive Officer of Comcare

Members:

Employer Representatives

Mr Peter Bremner, Consultant

Mr Mal Hearnden, Manager, Swire Pacific Ship Management (Australia) Pty Ltd
 

Employee Representatives

Mr John Wydell, Industrial Officer, Australian Maritime Officers Union (AMOU)

Mr Mick Doleman, Assistant National Secretary, Maritime Union of Australia (MUA)
 

AMSA CEO

Mr Graham Peachey, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)

Functions

The Seacare Authority has the following functions conferred on it by the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 (the Seafarers Act):  

  • To monitor the operation of the Seafarers Act.  
  • To promote high operational standards of claims management and effective rehabilitation procedures by employers.  
  • To co-operate with other bodies or persons with the aim of reducing the incidence of injuries to employees.  
  • To publish material relating to the functions of the Authority.  
  • To advise the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations regarding the Authority's functions and powers and other matters relating to the compensation and rehabilitation of employees.

The Seacare Authority has the following functions conferred on it by the Occupational Health and Safety (Maritime Industry) Act 1993 (OHS(MI) Act).

To ensure, in accordance with the OHS(MI) Act and the regulations, that the obligations imposed by or under the OHS(MI) Act and the regulations are complied with.  

  • To advise operators, employers or contractors, on occupational health and safety matters.  
  • To collect, interpret and report information relating to occupational health and safety. 
  • To formulate policies and strategies relating to the occupational health and safety of employees.  
  • To accredit OHS training courses for the purposes of s47 of the OHS(MI) Act.    
  • To liaise with other bodies concerned with occupational health and safety.  
  • To advise the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations on the performance of the above functions.

Seacare Management Section

The Authority does not have its own staff.  Comcare makes staff available to support the Seacare function, operating from a unit known as the Seacare Management Section (SMS).  There are two SMS staff, with administrative back up provided by Comcare.  The SMS, in performing its functions for the Authority, has access to Comcare legal services, financial management services, communication services and related corporate support services.  The SMS is responsible for supporting the Seacare Authority and for performing the day to day regulatory functions of the Seacare Authority.

The SMS, 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 for supporting the Seacare function;  
  • Monitoring, and reporting on, Seacare scheme performance;  
  • Preparing an Annual Report to Parliament;  
  • Reporting to the Minister;  
  • Liaising and communicating with scheme stakeholders and other like regulators; and  
  • Promoting the objectives of the Seacare scheme, particularly to reduce the human and financial costs of workplace injury in the Australian maritime industry.

Seacare scheme coverage

The Seacare Authority has developed a guide to the application of the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 (Seafarers Act) to assist employers, brokers, insurers and other stakeholders in determining if the Act applies to particular employers, vessels and employees.

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Guidance Notes - Coverage under the Seafarers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1992 (Seafarers Act)  [pdf 63.2Kb]

Service Charter

This service charter describes the service a client can expect from the Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority (Secare Authority).

ServiceCharter-Sep2006     Service Charter  [pdf 270.2kb]

Memoranda of Understanding

Memorandum of Understanding between the Seacare Authority and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) - February 2003  [pdf 77.2Kb]

Memorandum of Understanding between the Seacare Authority and the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA) - March 2009  [pdf 1.6Mb]

Memorandum of Understanding between the Seacare Authority and the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA) - May 2005  [pdf 78.6Kb] - to access please contact Seacare Management Seaction  by phone (02) 6275 0087  or  by email seacare@comcare.gov.au

Memorandum of Understanding between the Seacare Authority and Comcare - June 2007  [pdf 51.9Kb]

Report on Legal Services Expenditure

Paragraph 11.1 (ba) of the Legal Services Directions 2005, issued by the Attorney-General under the Judiciary Act 1903, requires Chief Executives of agencies subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 to ensure that their agencies’ legal services purchasing, including expenditure, is appropriately recorded and monitored and that, by 30 October each year, the agency makes publicly available records of the legal services expenditure for the previous financial year.

Legal Services Expenditure, 1 July 2007 - 30 June 2008

Total legal services expenditure - $0
Total external legal services expenditure - $0
Total internal legal services expenditure - $0

‘Internal’ legal expenditure for Seacare is provided by Legal Services Branch, Comcare, a Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1977 agency, pursuant to section 72A of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988.

For subsequent financial years see the relevant Seacare Annual Report. 

 

Report on Contracts > $100,000

Senate Order 192, made by the Senate on 20 June 2001 (subsequently amended on 27 September 2001 and June 2003) and agreed too by the then Government, requires Ministers to table letters of advice that all agencies, which they administered, had placed on the internet by the tenth day of the Spring or Autumn sittings of Parliament, lists of contracts which provide for consideration to the value of $100,000 or more.

Contracts > $100,000  

  1 July 2008 - 30 June 2009   Total expenditure   Nil



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