Marine whistleblowers hotline
Maritime Safety Queensland is concerned when non-compliant behaviour compromises its key outcome areas of safer, cleaner seas.
Under the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 and the Transport Operations (Marine Pollution) Act 1995 , you can report your marine safety or marine pollution concerns about behaviour that you have witnessed or know about.
Normally, you make reports about non-compliant behaviour to your local Maritime Safety Queensland regional office.
However, in some special circumstances you may feel that you cannot make a report to Maritime Safety Queensland directly. Such circumstances might include:
- where you fear civil or criminal liability because of your relationship to the non-compliant behaviour
- where you are under some kind of obligation not to say anything, like an oath or promise
- where you fear being sued for defamation if you say anything
- where you fear reprisals, such as threats or loss of employment, if you make a report.
For these special circumstances, Maritime Safety Queensland has established a whistleblower's hotline that can be used to safely make reports of non-compliant behaviour. Such reports are subject to the whistleblower protections provided in part 15A of the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Act 1994 and part 14A of the Transport Operations (Marine Pollution) Act 1995.
The whistleblower protections include:
- no civil or criminal liability for disclosing information to an official that is honestly and reasonably believed to be a contravention of the relevant act
- a defence of absolute privilege against defamation claim
- protection against any contravention of confidentiality, such as an oath or agreement
- protection against reprisals.
What to report
You can help make Queensland waters safer by reporting:
- unsafe operators
- unseaworthy ships
- risks of ship-sourced pollution.
How to report
Telephone +61 7 3120 7496z and leave a message that will be recorded. The more details you provide to us, the better chance Maritime Safety Queensland has of using the information to protect marine safety and the marine environment.
If you want a return telephone call, leave your name and contact telephone number.
If urgent action is required, please contact your local Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol or Queensland Water Police office, and mention that you are a whistleblower.
Reporting actual incidents
Report any instances of actual ship-sourced pollution discharges or marine incidents to your local Maritime Safety Queensland regional office.
zLocal call – higher rates may apply outside local area or from mobile phones.
