Latham’s Labor

Latham's Labor is union friendly. Even better it's Maritime Union friendly.
Not only did the new ALP leader accept an invitation to address the union's National Conference in March, the party conference unanimously passed a resolution in support of Australian shipping along with a whole raft of worker friendly policies.

The six point shipping resolution confirms Australia as a 'shipping nation' not a 'shipper nation' as dubbed by the incumbent transport minister and deputy PM John Anderson.

It notes that the Howard Government has brought about "the lowest participation of Australian owned, operated and crewed ships in our nation's history" and exposed our coastline to "the ravages of flag of convenience shipping" including the threat to the marine environment, jobs and our national security.

It has also meant Australian exporters have had to stomach skyrocketing freight rates in bulk trade which more than doubled in 2003.

The resolution, now official ALP policy, commits a Latham Government to recognising the importance of Australian owned, crewed and flagged shipping.

Key to the policy is the commitment to a full review of the permit system long rorted by freight forwarders and substandard FoC shipping to drive Australian shipping out of business or offshore.

A Latham Government is now also committed to the retention of cabotage, long term investment in maritime industries and the reinstatement of a system of registration for seafarers and stevedoring workers.

"This is important," said Crumlin. "We need properly recognised and trained workers in the maritime industry. Howard talks about security, but other than digging his political grave in the sands of Iraq, would rather have guest workers on our ships and casual workers on our wharves."

Labor will also consider a tonnage tax regime on foreign ships similar to the schemes used in the UK and other OECD countries, a coast guard and government salvage services.

Finally the resolution recognises the work of the International Transport Workers' Federation and endorses its call for transparent shipping.

Latham has twice since recommitted to these polices -- once at the MUA delegates Conference in April, and the second time to MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin at ACTU executive in Sydney in May where he also made a commitment to move secondary boycott legislation out of the Trade Practices Act and back to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. The National Secretary pointed out to the Opposition Leader that the current legislation effectively precludes the MUA from taking strike action, the only case where this happens in the world. Latham gave undertakings to address this issue.

In his budget address in May, Latham also promised to extend tax cuts to the 70 per cent of Australian workers who earn less that $52,000 a year, introduce a learn for the dole policy for unemployed youth and restore research grants for public good projects. He has also forced Howard's hand to bring MP super in line with community standards and announced brakes on executive payouts over one year's salary, to stamp out corporate greed.

National Conference determined that each Branch would support ALP candidates who committed to enacting those policies while in government.