Maritime Union of Australia
Keep Australia Afloat
Australian shipping is sinking fast
In just 10 years, Australia's merchant shipping fleet has shrunk by half. Our seafarers jobs are being lost as overseas flagged ships, many of them ships of shame, take more of our coastal trade.
A strong shipping fleet is vital to our economy, environment and security - and yet there are no incentives to invest in Australian shipping.
We need your support to keep Australian shipping afloat
Visit http://www.mua.org.au/issues/keep-australia-afloat/
Pledge your support for this campaign on the petition below and put an Australian ship on the coast to replace a ship of shame.
The government will shortly be considering a comprehensive shipping policy package. We need the Government to commit to the fiscal and regulatory changes necessary to keep Australian shipping afloat.
You can help by contacting your local union rooms and joining a delegation to encourage your local MP to back the reform.
Go to the Campaign Page for more instructions, leaflets, posters, petitions and other campaign resources.
Don't delay. Delegations are getting under way now while parliament is in recess.
Get your workmates and neighbours to sign a petition.
Shipping reform is now a matter of life and death.
Ships of shame are a threat to waterside workers who labour on floating workplaces in our harbours each day. Two comrades have been killed on the job in recent months, another severely injured, three more just escaped death in April. And now we have yet another foreign flagged vessel on our Reef threatening our environment.
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What We Want to Achieve
- No free kicks, but incentives to invest in new Australian ships - which are common in major shipping nations.
- tax breaks for Australian seafarers working predominantly in international trades
- tighter restrictions on foreign ships on our coast
- tax incentives, like the tonnage tax to bring new Australian licenced ships on our coast
- an industry driven national shipping workforce plan to boost seafarer numbers and skills
- Australian awards to cover ALL guest workers on the coast. (by extending the Fair Work act to all foreign ships trading on our coast)