Dr Doumbia-Henry & Hon. Anthony Albanese MP

Issue: 08

NATIONAL NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT

AMSA ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL MLC CONFERENCE

The port of Cairns was an ideal setting for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s conference on the Maritime Labour Convention 2006. Some twenty nations from the region attended representing over sixty percent of the world’s seafarers. The national coordinator of the Mission to Seafarers Australia was invited to attend and make a presentation during one of the sessions. Of course, we accepted the invitation to address such an important and influential gathering with considerable gratitude.

The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP delivered the keynote address on “the importance of the MLC to the Australian Government”. Those present were very heartened to hear of the Minister’s enthusiasm for ratification of the Convention, and his keen understanding of how hard life at sea can be for the world’s 1.3 million seafarers.

Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry who is Director, International Labour Standards Department of the International Labour Organization provided a global overview of the MLC, the progress in its implementation and highlighted some emerging issues.

Paddy Crumlin Global President, International Transport Workers Federation and the Australian Maritime Workers Union also presented on the importance of the MLC to the maritime family. AMSA’s CEO Graham Peachey and Deputy CEO Mick Kinley- both great supporters of the Mission to Seafarers in Australia - gave

In this section:

• AMSAAsia-PacificRegionalconferenceonMaritime Labour Convention 2006

• MissiontoSeafarersNationalCoordinator’saddress to the conference

• MovingclosertoratificationoftheMaritimeLabour ConventionAustralianCouncil’snegotiationswith Governmentforfundingassistance

• AMSANationalSeafarers’WelfareAdvisoryCommittee• ParliamentarysubmissionbytheAustralianCouncilof

the Mission to Seafarers.

By Colin BrownNational Co-ordinator

NATIONAL NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT

NATIONAL COORDINATORS PRESENTATION TO THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL CONFERENCE

AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL’S MEETINGS WITH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

“ “...last year we welcomed well over 100,000

grateful overseas seafarers through our doors.

presentations from the perspective of the Australian maritime regulator and its future role in the life of the MLC, hopefully to be ratified by 2011.

Forthelatterpart of last year and this year Bishop Garry and the MtS National Coordinator have been in negotiation with officers of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority regarding funding support for the work of the Mission to Seafarers in Australia. We are well pleased with the progress of the discussions and await a meeting date with Minister Albanese to further advance our proposal for permanent annual assistance.

ColBrownaddressed the conference on the theme of “How the Maritime Labour Convention will improve the lives of seafarers”. The full text of that address can be found on this website.

The actual presentation afforded a unique opportunity to showcase the already herculean work the Mission to Seafarers does in twenty five ports around Australia’s coastline- highlighting the fact that last year we welcomed well over 100,000 grateful overseas seafarers through our doors. It also provided the platform to mention the strain of the tremendous amount of fundraising we must carry out annually to keep our seafarers centres welcoming, equipped and operational. And of course, without our some 500 faithful and dedicated volunteers none of this would be possible.

It was made clear in the presentation that despite our very best efforts it seems that we are reaching fewer than fifty per cent of those seafarers needing contact with us. Accordingly for our organization to increase its capacity to serve more seafarers, strive for better or best practice, and ensure the sustainability and longevity of our welfare ministry the time has come for Governments and invested others to permanently contribute to the funding of our humanitarian endeavours. So that rather than our having the capacity to reach only fifty percent of crew we will have the capacity to reach all that need us. Otherwise, the noble words and ideals of the MLC (called the “Seafarers Bill of Rights”) will remain but a fantasy to all those seafarers in need of quality shore time, human friendship and warmth, and engagement with caring people prepared and able to attend to the hundred and one practical needs crews may have before returning to work on the lonely, dangerous and vast ocean.

NATIONAL NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT

The conference program, presenters and copies of presentations can be found at www.amsa.gov.au/MLC/presentations.asp and is recommended reading for those interested in the well being of today’s seafarer.

Issue: 08

We have invited the Apostleship of the Sea to join us in these negotiations and are presently drafting a joint proposal which will supplant the original MtS submission.

It is also hoped that will gain the support of both the ITF and key shipping interests to the churches’ joint proposal as all key maritime stakeholders value and acknowledge the critical charitable work that both our organization and the Apostleship of the Sea carry out around some thirty Australian ports.

Latelastyearthe MtS Australian Council was invited by the Australian Government to participate in the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties inquiry into the Maritime Labour Convention 2006. We were very keen to assist the Committee with this task and forwarded a submission early in February of this year.

The Convention and related documents, including the National Interest Analysis are available on the Committee’s website at:www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/24november2010/index.htm

The Mission to Seafarers Australian Council submission to JSCOT is found at www.mts.org.au/

PARLIAMENTARY SUBMISSION FROM AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL ON THE MLC

NATIONAL NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT Issue: 08

Issue: 08

TheworkofthisCommittee now into its second year goes from strength to strength. The current membership of the Committee shows the breadth of the commitment to seafarer welfare from a wide spectrum of the maritime family including the Mission to Seafarers (represented by Colin Brown), Apostleship of the Sea, Australian Shipowners Association, Ports Australia, Shipping Australia, International Transport Federation, Australian Mariners Welfare Society, Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Relations and AMSA.The chair of the Committee Paul MacGillivary has recently left AMSA and it is expected that the new chair will be known by the next meeting scheduled for 15 June 2011.

A former seafarer himself we would like to acknowledge Paul’s great drive and passion for the well being of seafarers constantly demonstrated in his chairing of meetings, and we wish him well in his move from Canberra to the West. Fortunately his talents will not be lost to the maritime community in his new position.

The achievements and plans of the ASWAC are available on www.amsa.gov.au/Seafarers_Welfare/meetings.html

Asweknow the MLC is an emerging international global priority, setting minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship including conditions of employment, hours of work and rest, accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering, occupational health and safety, medical care, welfare and social security protection.

AMSA SEAFARERS’ WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MOVING CLOSER TO RATIFI-CATION OF THE MLC 2006

The United Nations’ Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry at the Cairn’s conference advised that the MLC was likely to be ratified by the end of 2011 and would come into force twelve months later. The Convention requires the ratification of 30 countries with 33 per cent of the world’s commercial tonnage. The number of nation ratifications has already exceeded the tonnage requirement and with the soon expected ratification of all 27 EU countries the other requirement will be achieved as well.

Minister Albanese also confirmed that the Australian Government was close to ratifying the Convention.

When the Convention becomes law, AMSA will be responsible for inspecting foreign-flagged ships entering Australian ports for compliance with the MLC.

AMSA inspection of foreign- flagged vessels will generally be:1. a review of the Maritime Labour Certificate and Declaration

of Maritime Labour Compliance which will be prima facie evidence of compliance with the MLC

2. inspection of vessels that have not been issued with a ML Certificate and a Declaration of ML Compliance to MLC standards; and

3. inspection of vessels where the ML Certificate and Compliance Declaration appear to be falsely maintained, or incomplete or where a contravention of the MLC is obvious, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the ship has changed flag to avoid compliance with the MLC, or a complaint about non-compliance with the MLC has been made.

Many of our MtS personnel attended one day seminars/workshops led by Revd Canon Ken Peters from central office, last year, in preparation for the introduction of the MLC and we see the need for refresher courses in the next twelve months. Maybe we can twist Ken’s arm to return to our shores sooner than later

NATIONAL NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT