Report from the National Commodore
November 2007

Dear Commodores,

I welcome you to our National Board Meeting in Sydney. I thank the Sydney Squadron for hosting this meeting and Commodore Robards and his officers for arranging the organisational details.

The previous six months has indeed been turbulent within the association and yet remarkably positive achievements have almost gone unnoticed.

Let me deal briefly with some of the negatives and finish on a more positive note.

Acceptance of Authority

There have been several instances of members who have either gone outside the guidelines of accepted behaviour of the Association or formations who have incorrectly moved action against members without proper adherence to all of the guidelines under which we operate.

There are some basic principles that we need to remember. The Association cannot tolerate a “laissez-faire” approach to behaviour by units or individuals and in dealing with any actions that move outside the acceptable limits we have rules that need to be accepted by all concerned.

There is a well-defined chain of command and authority within the Association and it is established and maintained to enable a proper and formalised process to be followed by members.

A member's first contact to solve problems is their Duty Officer, then their Flotilla Commander. It is likely and expected that this process should sort out the vast majority of difficulties. If not, then the Squadron Commodore (or in fact the Board) should hear the problem through the Flotilla Commander. In exceptional circumstances the member may seek to address the Board directly but only after all other avenues have failed or proved unsatisfactory.

A direct approach to a National Executive Officer is almost never justified as they have a Constitutional responsibility to remain detached from issues until there is appeal to National under Clause 24.

Some members have sought the direct intervention of this office (or other National Executive Officers) in their affairs or complaints with Flotilla or Squadron Officers and are, as such, by-passing the proper chain of process and command. It is inappropriate for members to be copying those National officers into the proceedings as any appeal to them does not involve the original facts of the case but is an appeal against the process and proceedings used by the relevant Board in the hearing of the member's case.

The application of the Discipline Protocols of the Association and its Policies is in the hands of the Flotilla and then the Squadron. Arguments with the decisions of individuals or the interpretations of particular Officers are adequately balanced under the appeal process by the considered judgments of the members of a Board, acting in concert.

The phrase "natural justice" is often employed by members to mean, "I didn't get the result that I wanted". I have yet to find anyone who can objectively define this often-misused phrase of natural justice. A far better concept in hearing complaints or sorting out issues is that of "procedural fairness".

Underlying all of this process is the necessary presumption that must be shared by all members; that the "decision of the umpire" must be accepted and the process cannot continue forever until the individual necessarily receives the judgment that they want.

We are not employers nor do our duties run to ensuring the future status of members. We are a volunteer organisation and as such we are not caught by much “workplace” legislation despite the fact that we make all reasonable attempts to comply as much as we can. It seems that at times, when a suitable decision is not forthcoming, some members want to fall back onto standards that apply to a person’s livelihood, not their volunteering commitment. If a person is that much at odds with the directions of the organisation they are free to continue their lives without us impinging on their time or efforts.

Positive Achievements

On a more positive note, the Association has achieved many significant milestones in the last six months.

Following the expansion of Coast Guard services in Victoria, we are now looking at the formation of a new Squadron to cover administrative and operational responsibilities in the east Gippsland area. A new base HQ and vessel have been commissioned at Safety Beach, Dromana and a new vessel commissioned at Paynesville. In Western Victoria two new $750 000 thirteen metre vessels are being delivered to Warrnambool and Portland flotillas specifically for Bass Strait operations. These vessels have twin turbocharged diesels driving Hamilton Jets.

New funding and service agreements have been signed in both South Australia and Queensland for the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

An EMA grant for training of trainers and assessors under TAA Certificate IV standards has been fully implemented and completed providing a further forty-seven qualified members within our RTO.

In NSW a new training centre and launch/recovery facility has been opened in Kingscliff providing a first class resource for training. Significant funding for training purposes has also come on stream from recent government grants after negotiation from the VMRC.

All vessels in NSW, Victoria and Queensland now formally fulfil survey requirements for their relevant states as per emergency services agreements.

Delegates have recently returned from the International Maritime Rescue Federation Conference in Gothenburg Sweden, where they delivered papers on the developing relationship between our volunteer services with state statutory bodies whilst still maintaining our autonomy as an NGO.

The former abandoned RVCP units in Tasmania have now all been fully integrated into our association. The Marine Rescue Sector in that state is now consolidating and expanding its operations with state and federal grants.

The National Training Review and Advisory Committee (NATRAC) of Coast Guard is currently reviewing Professor Mike Tipton’s research into assessing future fitness standards for members in crewing vessels involved in SAR operations. We are devising, trailing, and evaluating models in consultation with industry experts for assessing local crew fitness levels.

The National Training Orders, the traditional basis for all Coast Guard internal training have been reviewed, updated and re-issued to align with current maritime industry standards.

A national supplier of optical equipment has sponsored Coast Guard with the provision of marine standard waterproof binoculars for all of the 100+ vessels in our fleet. In addition we have also been sponsored by the provision of deep-cycle marine batteries for all our vessels on a two-year, renewable arrangement by a major manufacturer of batteries along with cash incentive support for promotional concepts for local flotillas.

Our ongoing national sponsorship with Honda Marine has resulted in a number of advantages including:
• acquisition of 4 stroke, environmentally friendly outboards;
• reductions in noise pollution;
• significant reduction in fuel costs;
• expedited after-sales service;
• national advertising and promotional materials; and
• enhanced technical and advisory support.

Whilst it is disappointing not to have received funding increases from the recently elected NSW state government, despite continued lobbying from the VMR organisations, neither Coast Guard nor VRA Marine units see this as being a service threatening “crisis” as has been stated elsewhere by others in the sector. Indeed we see that there are ways forward and we are working on possible options. This does not involve becoming fully integrated into any government agency nor does it involve calling for full funding. These options would place the very nature of our NGO status and volunteerism in jeopardy.

Coast Guard is in a strong position in its volunteer member training standards (meeting SRB and VMRC training criteria); its vessel operational standards (all vessels in 2C survey and operating under VOC standards) and in development of marine radio communications for the enhanced safety of the boating public.
While future funding increases would certainly reduce the pressure on our volunteers and enable better strategic planning possible, we are confident however that at this time Coast Guard operations in NSW can continue to meet the required levels for VMR accreditation. Capital replacement costs for vessels is the single biggest impost and with ever increasing standards and expectations from both the public and, indeed, government and the upward spiral in the price of equipment and the vessels themselves, the government must address increased funding as a priority.

NADCO

You will have noted in his report that NADCO Morton has been overtaken with a burden of work that he never envisaged when he accepted the position. He wishes to stand down from his position because he feels that he cannot give it its proper due in terms of time.

This places us in a position of having to find a casual vacancy for just six months until our next elections.

NADCO Morton has injected a thoroughly professional attitude and approach to his position and it has been a long time since we enjoyed this level of input from someone with his level of expertise, experience and qualifications in this role. Thus on two counts, dislocation and loss of expertise, I would suggest to the Board that we retain his services in the role of NADCO with him adopting a supervisory role over those whom he has recruited to assist him in the day to day functions of NADCO. This would allow him to maintain input of strategic advice and policy and provide us with continuity until the new executive is installed.

I again hope that we can all approach this NBM in a spirit of positive cooperation to achieve efficient strategies for the future.

Chris Gillett
NACO