Port of Call

Ministerial ship visit

The tug is celebrating its second anniversary, under contract to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), in providing emergency response services to shipping incidents in the region.

"In the short time I spent on board the Pacific Responder I was most impressed by the crew's enthusiasm and professionalism,” the minister said. “The job they perform is critical to the protection of our natural marine environment and the safety of all those that use our waterways."

The Australian government emergency response vessel plays an important role in protecting the Torres Strait and northern Great Barrier Reef marine environment in the event of a shipping incident.

The vessel has responded to several shipping incidents in the region, including assisting PNG authorities contain a cargo ship fire and the salvage operations for the Pasha Bulker.

Tranby solidarity

SYDNEY: The maritime and miners' unions were major sponsors of the 50th anniversary dinner of Tranby Aboriginal College in Sydney in October.

Both unions donated to the event featuring celebrity entertainers and musicians and attended by politicians, Aboriginal activists and Tranby supporters at the Hilton Hotel.

Live entertainment included Buddy Knox and his Blues Band, Freshwater and comedian Sean Choolburra as MC.

Tranby College is still equipping indigenous people with everyday skills, and its new CEO Lindon Coombes has a goal that all graduating students will go straight into a job or to tertiary education.

The Reverend Alf Clint, a high church Anglican missionary who worked in Papua New Guinea, founded Tranby in 1958 as a hostel for young indigenous men training to run co-operatives in the bush. The maritime and mining unions were founding sponsors.

Representing the MUA on the night were Assistant National Secretary Mick Doleman, Sydney Branch Secretary Warren Smith, former secretary Robert Coombs - now a member of the NSW parliament - national executive officer Rod Pickette, Patrick Port Botany delegate Paul Keating and Port Botany rank and file Koori wharfies Bevin Longbottom and Kevin Kelly.

Sculpture by the sea

FREMANTLE: The maritime union was a proud sponsor of the Sculpture by the Sea Bondi to Tamarama Sydney exhibition in October 2008. Three artists were granted Tom Nelson (MUA) subsidies for works addressing social justice issues and will also be represented at the WA counterpart exhibition.

_The MUA will be recognised as a Supporting Partner of the Sculpture By the Sea Cottesloe exhibition in Perth next March, with two artists, whose works address social justice issues, awarded $2,500 each in subsidies. One of the artists will also address members in both Sydney and Perth.

Sculpture by the Sea is providing a free primary school sculpture making workshop for the class of the child of a Perth/Fremantle member and free catalogues and free registrations for MUA members to its 'Sculpture in Public Space' conference at the State Library of Western Australia on March 9. __

Mural Artist

MELBOURNE: He started with graffiti and graduated to the wharves. So when the branch heard they had some new talent within their ranks Melbourne Ports artist and wharfie Michael Glenda (alias Jumble) was invited to help commemorate the Patrick Dispute anniversary by painting the car park wall.

The mural was so successful Michael has now been invited by the WA branch to do a mural.

“I grew up in the Port of Melbourne,” said Michael. “A lot of my mates' dads worked on the waterfront. I hung out with them, spent time on the picket. Everyone around here knew about Patrick. It was big.”

Michael now gets regular commissions in the area such as Red Scooter, the local gym and a sushi restaurant. In his youth he worked underground with cans of spray paint using trains, buses and trams as his canvas. “That got me into a bit of trouble, so I kept to walls after that.”

These days it's portraits in oils. The DP World POAGS, Webb Dock worker has held three solo exhibitions in Melbourne. He is working on another, featuring shoes. “But we're about to have a baby, and that comes first,” he said.

Correction

BRISBANE: It was reported last Port of Call (“Wharfies Fundraiser”) that MUA member Joe Carr was a Vietnam Vet. This is incorrect. While Joe did serve in the RAAF it was after the Vietnam War ended in 1975.