I'm in the union

MUA member Sean Ambrose with ALP leader Mark Latham

CANBERRA CALLING: MUA member and Brisbane wharfie Sean Ambrose, 26, is contesting the federal seat of Wide Bay for Labor against Minister for Agriculture Warren Truss.

He is the youngest federal candidate. Sean comes from a long line of militant unionists; his fondest childhood memory is walking off the job with his dad at the age of four to attend Trades Hall.

Sean joined the union aged 19, working for Keon Stevedores, then Newcastle stevedores in Newcastle, BHP, Patrick, Strang and P&O through inter company hire before taking a job as a supp at Independent Stevedores in Brisbane.

He joined the ALP in 2000 becoming treasurer of the Fairfax Federal Electoral Council and youth parliamentarian for Gympie.

The big issues for Sean are the Trades Practices Act, the abuse of single voyage permits, flag of convenience shipping and the Free Trade agreement.

"My education came from the Maritime Union. I'm getting information from the branch on shipping policy and running strong on the environmental dangers of FoC shipping. This electorate takes in Hervey Bay and Fraser Island which are both tourist destinations and are close to the Great Barrier Reef. People come to Hervey Bay on whale watching tours. I'll be campaigning on the the threat these ships pose to the environment, especially the Reef. We've had three ships run aground in six years. Harvey Bay is also an old sugar port and I gave the Government a hard time on how they sold out sugar farmers. Around 6000 farm workers have lost their jobs due to the Howard Government. There is going to be a backlash. Truss been here 15 years. People are getting tired of him."

Sean's brother Ryan works at Patrick Port Botany.

See also: Vote for Howard is a vote for Costello, Conservative think tank HR Nicholls & Garrett rocks into union rooms