Allegedly the sea rescue equipment was not kept in working order and that the Government had a 'duty of care' to have it ready for instant use; if this is the case then the status of those needing assistance is irrelevant.

What utter rot.

Try crashing into Fraser Island, Smokey cape or Cape Morton, & see how much rescue equipment is standing by to save you.

The only help you will get is from volunteer organisations, none of them very close to anywhere but a port. Neither state nor commonwealth maintain a rescue service for the incompetents.

Crash your boat into the reef, & you will get fined, if you survive, not rescued

Crash your boat into the reef, & you will get fined, if you survive, not rescued
Hasbeen,
Precisely, I know a bloke who lost a rather nice boat because it drifted onto a reef when the motor stopped because his fuel was stolen immediately after refuelling. It was confiscated by Krudd's Federal Police & the poor sod lost all.
Now some lecherous Australian maggot of a lawyer wants to milk OUR money ? Anyone know how to deal with such vermin ?

The point is, does he have a case?

The point is, does he have a case?
is Mise,
No ! Not in a moral, technical nor logical sense. Australia does not owe anything in that case as sad & as unfortunate as it may be. If a shipwreck occurs it is not the country's fault in which it happens. What next ? We pay compensation because Australia didn't remove the island so that no boat can hit it ?

Funny, I would have thought that everyone has a moral obligation to save others in distress.

The issue seems to be clouded by the origin of those who were shipwrecked.