Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Medicare) Share this | Hansard source

At a time when the Morrison government boasts about being tough on border protection, it ignores the serious threat to Australian borders of dismantling Australian coastal shipping operations and having foreign ships with foreign crews working in Australian waters around the Australian coastline. Last month, two more Australian crewed vessels, Mariloula and Lowlands Brilliance, working the Australian coastline for BHP and BlueScope, were replaced with foreign flagged ships, very likely using exploited labour. This was only possible because the Morrison government granted these foreign ships a licence to operate in Australian waters. Not only did the Morrison government turn its back on Australian workers and their families; in doing so, it weakened Australia's coastline security.

Australians working the national coastline strengthen Australian border security and environmental protection efforts. This is a government that runs a fear campaign about border security and refugees while simultaneously weakening our borders just so that big business can make more profit. I call on the Morrison government to stop putting company profits ahead of Australian workers and Australia's national security.

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