Independent reviews of critical shipping legislation underway

The Australian Government has appointed Ms Lynelle Briggs and Prof Nicholas Gaskell to co-chair the reviews of the Shipping Registration Act 1981 and Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012. 

Ensuring the Acts reflect modern regulatory best practice for shipping registration and coastal trading will be critical to supporting the long-term sustainability of Australia’s maritime industry and Strategic Fleet.

The Government committed to reviewing both Acts as part of its response to the Strategic Fleet Taskforce report.

Ms Briggs has strong review, maritime and transport experience, most recently leading the review of public sector board appointments in 2023 and as the Royal Commissioner on Aged Care Quality and Safety. 

She was also a Board Member for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and Chairperson of the Maritime Super Board. 

Prof Gaskell is a maritime lawyer with extensive experience in international shipping practice and in analysing merchant shipping legislation for governments, industry and practitioners. 

He is currently an Emeritus Professor of maritime and commercial law at the University of Queensland.

I welcome both Ms Briggs and Prof Gaskell to the role, and look forward to seeing these reviews unfold as we work to ensure a strong and sustainable maritime industry. 

These reviews are another demonstration of the Government’s actions to back the Australian maritime industry and its workers.

Ms Briggs and Prof Gaskell will report to the Government on the Shipping Registration Act 1981 and the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012 in six months. 

The Terms of Reference for each legislative review can be found on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts website.