Canberra + maritime security

Date: 29 June 2007

While the Howard Government is deregulating our shipping industry, even handing out potential explosives to foreign ships and crew on our coast, both China and Russia are protecting their shipping industry and coastlines

Shadow Minister for Homeland Security Arch Bevis has lashed out at the Howard Government disregard for coastal security again today.

"The Howard Government continues to allow foreign crewed vessels carrying thousands of tonnes of explosive materials along our coastal routes without real security checks," he said

"The Government know that that their new Maritime Crew visa requires far less security checking than for Australian seafarers."

The shadow minister confirmed that a Rudd Government once elected would ensure only security cleared vessels crewed with seafarers who have appropriate security clearances are able to carry dangerous materials on coastal routes.

In addition Labor has committed to ensuring a strong and viable Australian coastal shipping industry, employing Australian seafarers working under the Australian flag with Australian terms and conditions of employment.

This follows a worldwide trend in Europe and Asia.

In China the government this week announced tax breaks to attract Chinese-owned, foreign-flagged vessels to its national flag from next month.

"The flagging out of Chinese-owned vessels has negative impacts on the healthy development of the country's shipping industry and national economic security," said the State Council. "It affects the control of the country over the safety of the vessels, induces substandard shipping and poses potential risks, and is detrimental to the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese seafarers."

China has reviewed its shipping policy after the collision in May of a Chinese containership sailing under the St Vincent and the Grenadines flag of convenience with a South Korean general cargo vessel, Golden Rose.

At the same time Russia has also foreshadowed maritime reforms this year Russia's transport minister Igor Levitin has told industry officials. that a radical new set of government-led supports for Russian ports, shipbuilders and the Russian flag are all in the pipeline. Last month Russia laid out his plans to modernise Russia's transport system, with specific focus on ports, a nationalised shipbuilding industry and massively strengthened national flag.

For further information

Union:	Maritime Union of Australia
Phone:	+61 2 9267 9134
Email:	muano@mua.org.au
WWW:	http://mua.org.au/

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