250 Australian seafarers are protesting against the federal government actions that encourages Australian companies to use international crews.
A number of Maritime Union of Australia members, Labor and Greens representatives took part in a protest over foreign shipping at Nobbys Beach on Sunday morning.
Before a curious crowd of onlookers, union members painted two board-riders with molasses to simulate the potential environmental threat posed by foreign-owned “flag of convenience” ships.
MUA Newcastle branch secretary Glen Williams said watered-down legislation meant more under-regulated foreign ships trading on Australia’s coast, costing Australian jobs and posing increased risks to the environment and national security.
“Foreign ships that trade under flags of convenience have time and time again come under the spotlight for their atrocious practices when it comes to safety, environmental protection and labour rights,” Mr Williams said.
Australian shipping is supposedly protected by “cabotage” laws that restrict the right of foreign companies to operate in domestic waters.
But the union says the Coalition government has watered down the Coastal Trading (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Act 2012 to the point that it is helping companies get around the legislation to hire 457-style visa crews on “temporary” licences.
Despite various court appeals, Alcoa was recently able to scrap the MV Portland, an Australian ship that had carried alumina to its Victorian smelters from Western Australia for the past 27 years.