Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to support the motion by the member for Newcastle and congratulate her on a fantastic contribution to the debate, a contribution based on factual information and a great understanding of the shipping industry. I also note that my colleague the member for Charlton is in the chamber. He is also very supportive of the shipping industry and knows and understands how important it is to Australia as a nation. It is really very pleasing to follow the member for Grayndler because what he does not know about shipping is not worth knowing. He has made a long-term commitment to ensuring that we have a vibrant, viable shipping industry in this country. He recognises that Australia is an island nation. He recognises the importance of shipping for transporting goods around and from Australia. He also recognises the onshore industries which complement the shipping industry.

There has been a long battle in this parliament in relation to shipping. The previous Liberal government introduced the flags of convenience and supported foreign ships travelling around Australia, taking Australian goods from one port to another on foreign flag vessels with crews from different countries. Quite often the crews were living in appalling conditions on those ships. They had no rights. When my predecessor, Peter Morris, was a member in this House, he chaired the transport committee inquiry into the ships of shame. How any member on that side of parliament could be arguing for the types of conditions that existed on those ships of shame to be introduced to Australian ships is beyond my belief.

It is interesting that we have had only Tasmanians speak on shipping. It seems for the government that shipping is only important to Australia if you are Tasmanian. I heard the member for Bass talking about Tasmania being an island state. Australia, I remind members, is an island nation and shipping is vitally important to our nation. I understand the government consulted with shipowners but they consulted the wrong ones. They consulted the shipowners who represent foreign interests; they did not speak to the Australian based organisation, the Marine Industry Australia Ltd, because they oppose the changes the minister is talking about introducing, changes that will lead to Third World working conditions for Australian seamen and to an increase in the flags of convenience. We will go back to the old permit system which did not serve the Australian industry well. It is really about introducing Work Choices on the water.

We know that this government are all slaves to Work Choices. All the time they are looking at some way they can bring back Work Choices. Here is an attempt to bring back Work Choices. It is all about having a shipping industry that has no regulation, where tax avoidance is ripe and where there are low labour standards. They oppose the changes that were introduced by the member for Grayndler when he was minister. They have just been biding their time. It is driven by their philosophy and ideological hatred for the MUA. Every time they get an opportunity, that hatred rises to the surface. They do not look at what is good for Australia; they look at what is good for themselves.

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