Court of Marine Inquiry

Full description

Establishment, Powers and Functions

The Marine Board of Victoria (VA 1424) was established under the provisions of the Marine Board Act 1887 (No.965) which became operative in 1888. The Marine Board has the power to institute a Court of Marine Inquiry if the assessors employed by the Board regard any incident involving marine matters to be sufficiently serious to warrant an investigation. The court is a court of record and is authorised to hold formal investigations into casualties and into charges of incompetency or misconduct on the part of masters, mates, engineers and pilots.

The Court of Marine Inquiry is constituted by one or more stipendiary magistrates and two members skilled in nautical engineering or other specialist marine areas. The Court has the power to summon parties and compel the attendance of witnesses, in addition to the powers exercised by justices sitting in petty session. The Court may cancel or suspend any certificate or licence issued by the Marine Board and may forward a case for argument before a Judge of the Supreme Court.

Location of Records

As at October 1989, the records of most Court of Marine Inquiry hearings are in the custody of the Marine Board of Victoria (VA 1424).