Federal government indicates changes to coastal shipping laws are still on the agenda
It’s been off the radar lately, but this week’s federal budget has confirmed that a shake-up of domestic shipping laws remains firmly on the national agenda.
The 2015 budget includes references to planned reforms aimed at “better aligning employment conditions for ships based in Australia with international standards’’.
Shadow transport minister Anthony Albanese says this goes beyond the government’s original stated policy of allowing foreign ships access to Australian domestic shipping routes. He says it will result in lower pay levels and safety standards for Australian workers, and could eventually dismantle the locally-owned industry.
“The changes would dismantle a comprehensive reform package delivered by the former Labor Government which created a level playing field in domestic shipping,” he says.
The Maritime Union of Australia has echoed those sentiments. National secretary Paddy Crumlin says the existing legislation is in the national interest and should not be altered.
“These changes could spell disaster on a number of fronts – maritime jobs, skills, fuel security, and maritime security,” he says.