Call to Assist Tampa Crew

Date: 28 August 2001

Federal Government acts in contravention of international law by shunning ship and crew in distress

AUSTRALIAN seafarers, members of the MUA, today condemned the actions of the Federal Government in refusing to offer assistance to the besieged Norwegian freighter Tampa off Christmas Island.

The condemnation arose from a stopwork meeting of MUA members held in Sydney this morning.

"Australian seafarers understand that it is a seafarer's responsibility under the law of the sea to aid any person or persons in distress at sea," said National Secretary Paddy Crumlin. "This is fundamental to human rights and the application of international law."

Mr Crumlin said that by refusing to provide assistance to the Master Arne Rinnan and crew of the vessel the Federal Government is opening the way for the international shipping industry to turn their back on people or vessels in distress at sea.

"Furthermore the Federal Government has demonstrated breathtaking hypocrisy on the issue," said Mr Crumlin. "Here we have a government that actively solicits foreign shipping and third world labour to carry Australian cargo between Australian ports in our domestic transport chain, now saying that to protect our national sovereignty we can not support the seafarers aboard the Tampa. This is after Australian authorities called on the captain to change course and rescue people on a sinking ship only days earlier.

"Not withstanding the fact that both PM John Howard and Transport Minister John Anderson have set out to destroy the Australian shipping industry and the jobs and careers of Australian seafarers, we would still meet our obligations and not sail past them if they were at sea in a lifeboat," said Mr Crumlin.

The MUA calls on the Government to take urgent action to assist the crew of the Tampa.

CONTACT: MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin 9267 9134 or mobile 0418 379 660

For further information

Contact:	Zoe Reynolds
Union:	Maritime Union of Australia
Phone:	0417 229873
WWW:	http://mua.tcp.net.au/

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