Published: 14 Aug 2018
It's hard to believe, but the Turnbull Government want to use this week in Parliament to try and re-introduce new laws that will make it even easier for foreign ships to work in Australia.
The Coastal Shipping (Revitalising Australian Shipping) Amendment Bill 2017 directly threatens the jobs of hundreds of local seafarers by giving foreign flagged ships unfettered access to Australia’s coastal shipping routes including Bass Strait.
Already Labor's Justine Keay and and Pat Conroy have spoken out against the bill in Parliament last night. Pat said these proposals will not see one extra Australian job in our maritime industry or put one extra Australian flagged ship on our coast.
"Until we see something different from this government—something that allows Australian shipping to stay competitive both now and into the future—the Labor Party will continue to oppose these reforms," he said.
Newly re-elected MP Justine Keay said this bill will decimate seafaring jobs in this country and will decimate the maritime industry of Australia.
"I waited 11 weeks through a grueling by-election campaign to come into this place and speak on this bill.
"Coastal shipping is vital to the economy of my electorate and the state of Tasmania. This side of the House believes in a strong Australian coastal shipping industry. I've seen and understand what role the local maritime industry can play in peoples' lives. This industry is one that is too important to play political games with," she said.
Coalition Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace to his shame supported the Billl bizarrely arguing that Australia needed more superyachts!
"We need to do more to encourage high-net-worth visitors to Fisher who will spend big in our local businesses. One way that we can achieve that end would be to encourage more international superyachts to visit our community and to stay for longer,'" he said.
This is a government is happy to destroy Australian jobs to make it easier for billionaires and their superyachts.
The MUA campaign against the bill will step up again and together we can defeat this Bill in the Senate - where it could be debated as early as next week.
Go to https://www.saveaustralianshipping.com.au/ and register your support for the campaign.
