As Minister responsible for Marine and Safety Tasmania, I have been negotiating with the Australian Government for a better deal for Tasmania in the transition to a national system for marine safety management, which formally commences on 1 July 2018.
I welcome the call by Senator Jonathan Duniam to relocate the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to Tasmania.
We have already succeeded in having a number of senior national positions established in Tasmania but a good case exists for the entire national agency to be established in Australia’s maritime State.
We are the home of the Australian Maritime College, a strong commercial fishing sector, a booming aquaculture industry with a very large fleet and a renowned ship and boat-building industry.
While the transition to a national system commenced six years ago, I have argued for a better deal for Tasmania at every national Ministerial Council since becoming the Minister in 2014 and have maintained this stance in direct negotiations with senior executives of AMSA.
I commend Senator Duniam for joining our effort and the Tasmanian Government fully endorses Tasmania as the natural home of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.