Media Release

Katter’s Australian Party this week moved for the Parliament to ensure proper qualification of marine engineers operating in Australian waters, with minimum three-year apprenticeships of on-the-job experience and training.

KAP Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy Bob Katter and independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie yesterday suspended standing orders to force the House of Representatives to vote on the Marine Engineers Qualifications Bill 2013, co-sponsored by the pair, before the end of the 43rdParliament.

The Bill aims to restore the Australian standards for marine engineering training and certification that were put in question by the Navigation Act 2012 and Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012.

Mr Katter, who represents among the most populated marine areas of the Great Barrier Reef, warned the House of numerous incidents of vessels smashing on the Reef – causing economic and environmental destruction, “not to mention loss of life”.

“There have been many occasions where a vessel has foundered because no-one knows how to fix the engine,” he said.

“People on overseas vessels might not have anything like the qualification standards in Australia.

“So it is absolutely vital that, on ships operating in Australian waters, we have someone there who knows what they’re doing with motors and engines. Anything that accepts a lower standard is very serious indeed.”

Mr Katter told the Parliament that there were many tourist vessels operating in North Qld’s region of the Reef whose passengers were entitled to have full confidence that “the person in charge of engine room is qualified”.

“It’s very important for marine tourism, as well as the commercial boats carrying coal or beef over the Great Barrier Reef, that a person who gets on a boat knows there is a ‘properly’ qualified and trained person looking after the engine.”

Despite the majority of the House voting to support the move to expedite the Bill (72-68), it was not formally resolved as the vote failed to meet the requirement for an ‘absolute majority’ of 76 in favour (half plus one of the total number of MPs).