SAR Issues
SAR Awards 2013
Nominations now open for 2013 Australian SAR Award. Read more.
Do you know a hero? If you know of an individual, group or ogranisation who have made a significant contribution to the safety of life, at sea or on land, consider nominating them for the Australian SAR Award.
To find out how to nominate a group or an individual for the 2013 Australian SAR Award, please visit SAR Awards.
2012 SAR Council Meeting
The 36th Meeting of the National SAR Council was held in Melbourne at the Royal Yacht Club, Williamstown on 16 - 18 October 2012.
Meeting papers and the Report of the Meeting are available - visit the Council Reports page to view these.
Revised Intergovernmental Agreement
The revised IGA for National SAR Arrangements was signed by the Standing Council of Police and Emergency Ministers on 29 June 2012.
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The responsibility for search and rescue in Australia is shared by SAR Authorities at both the Federal and State levels. These authorities are responsible for the coordination of search and rescue over a vast area made up of Continental Australia and the East Indian, South-west Pacific and Southern oceans and their responsibilities are shared in accordance with the National Search and Rescue Plan.
In 1976, the SAR Authorities formed a national conference to ensure consistency and uniformity in SAR procedures within the Australian search and rescue region (SRR). In 1999 a shift in perspective saw the group renamed the National Search and Rescue Council with the role of formulating, discussing and ratifying national search and rescue policies. The Council meets annually in November.
In 2004, the Commonwealth, State and Territory Government Ministers responsible for SAR response in Australia signed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on National Search and Rescue Response Arrangements that confirmed the National SAR Council's functions and roles.
In 2011, it was agreed that AMSA would initiate a review of the IGA for possible changes. The review considered issues stemming from recent incidents, commercial vessel regulatory reform and the continuing evolution of the SAR system and the growing emphasis upon the ‘best placed to respond’ concept for coordination of actual operations.
Following extensive consultation and review, the revised draft was approved by the National Policing Senior Officers' Group in April 2012 for forwarding to the Standing Council of Police and Emergency Ministers for signature.
The revised Intergovernmental Agreement may be found here
13 June 2013
