Stephen Jones (Throsby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Australia is a nation of over 22 million people and has the 12th largest economy in the world, yet we have the fourth largest shipping burden. That is why Australia needs more boats and more crews to work them. Last Saturday, I attended Iron Boat Day at Port Kembla to mark the 100th anniversary of BHP's steel-shipping fleet.

It was also an occasion to celebrate the Australian Labor government's package of reforms to revitalise our shipping industry, which is extremely important for an area like the Illawarra, where the port is one of our key economic assets. Iron Boat Day is an annual event celebrating the iron boat industry. It is organised by the Maritime Union of Australia. It is also a day for old shipmates, wharfies and port workers in the area to catch up and reminisce about Port Kembla's long and proud history. The port directly and indirectly employs over 3,500 people and contributes around $418 million to the Illawarra economy each year. It underwent a major expansion recently—diversifying its trade base, constructing three new berths and developing 53 hectares of land. As shipping traffic increases, the government's shipping reforms will become more critical in sustaining the growth in this region.

See this speech in context