Robbery on the high seas

The Maritime Union of Australia has demanded that the Federal Government 
revoke the permit that allows the CSL Pacific" vessel to trade on 
the Australian coast after a serious accident on board which has led to one 
crew member being hospitalised. The incident has resulted in an official 
investigation.

Last year the vessel's owner, CSL, used the Government's single and 
continual voyage permit system to reflag and rename the Australian 
registered and crewed River Torrens and bring it back on the coast 
as the CSL Pacific

Maritime unions are currently in dispute with CSL over the company's plan 
to do the same with the Australian flagged and crewed Yarra.

Maritime shipping coordinator Sean Chaffer said that under ministerial 
guidelines, once a ship is under investigation by the Australian Transport 
and Safety Bureau its permit must be revoked.

"The question that must be asked is, why is the Government in breach of its 
own guidelines?, said Mr Chaffer. The matter goes back to the Federal Court 
in April.

Meanwhile in Melbourne:

They've been cheated out of $300,000 in wages, fed on fish head, 
intimidated and stood over. But when three complained, they were sacked. 
They are the crew of the aging, Greek-owned, Cypriot flag-of-convenience 
vessel, ANL Progress.

They are in the Port of Melbourne where round two of a battle between the 
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF, to which the Maritime 
Union is affiliated) and the shipowner is underway.

Round one was fought out and won by the ITF in New Zealand courts three 
weeks ago before the ship sailed for Melbourne. A court order was obtained 
preventing the company from sacking the three Filipino seafarers who 
complained about pay and conditions. Now the ITF is out to get the crew the 
$300,000 in the wages they are owed.

The ANL Progress is just one of the more than 9000 cases of robbery 
and skullduggery on the high seas that the ITF deals with each year.

The ITF says it is an issue that should concern all Australians. The "ANL 
Progress" is an example of the type of cheap, sub-standard, cut-rate ship 
the Howard Government and freight forwarders want on the Australian coast 
and in the domestic transport industry — ships of shame that are sinking 
Australia's environmentally friendly, quality Australian flagged and crewed 
vessels.

In fact, ANL was once the publicly owned Australian National Line that was 
sold off by the Howard Government after it first came to office. Two other 
former ANL vessels working the Australian coast are now subject to a 
dispute i.e. the Yarra and the Pacific.