Meat smuggling threatens industry

Investigations by the Maritime Union of Australia and the 
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) have revealed a 
serious breach of Australian quarantine regulations. This has 
been facilitated by a Single Voyage Permit granted to a foreign 
ship by Transport Minister John Anderson.

ITF National Coordinator Dean Summers has received information 
that Australian authorities questioned the captain of the Flag of 
Convenience ship Cape Donington over the discovery of meat 
smuggled into the port of Brisbane in empty cabins.

"This ship first came to our attention last month when we 
received complaints from concerned workers in Port Kembla that 
its stores were empty and crew were forced to fish in the harbour 
for food", said Mr Summers.

"The ITF made sure stores were purchased before she was allowed 
to sail and complained to Australian charterers Austral Asia 
Lines in Brisbane. They've obviously done nothing about it."

"At a time when the government is crowing about our national 
coastal security they are scattering permits to all-comers 
allowing them to undermine Australian shipping, security and now 
primary industry", he said.

As Minister and leader of the National Party, Mr Anderson should 
be aware of the potential damage the smuggling of raw unprocessed 
meat into Australia could do to the domestic meat and livestock 
industry.

Mr Summers said Cape Donington should be made to order enough 
fresh stores on board to support all 13 Filipino and six 
Ukrainian crew for a month before she can leave Newcastle.

The MUA is calling for a full investigation of the AAL fleet to 
determine who was responsible and to ensure the problem isn't 
systemic. The union also calls on the government to affect an 
immediate review into continued abuses of the permit system and 
to revoke the Australian trading permit for this ship.