ACMA VHF marine radio review released

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has released the ‘Review of VHF marine radio operator qualification arrangements - recreational (non-commercial) vessels’, the final outcomes paper of its review of VHF marine radio operator qualifications for recreational boaters.

The outcomes of the review are the result of extensive dialogue between marine safety stakeholders, individual boaters and the ACMA, and are based on the ACMA’s spectrum management responsibilities.

Outlined in the document, the ACMA will:

• coordinate the development and implementation of the Australian Waters Qualification (AWQ), which will become the new mandatory qualification for recreational boaters using VHF marine radio channels within Australian territorial waters. It is anticipated the AWQ arrangement will begin during 2013-14;
• align its remaining marine radio certificate of proficiency framework with the Maritime Training Package administered by the Transport and Logistics Industry Skills Council (TLISC) in the longer term.

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