Campaign Update - March 2025: The revitalisation of Australian Shipping is underway
The establishment of the Strategic Fleet Taskforce in 2023 was an important milestone in our campaign to save Australian shipping by creating decent, safe and secure seafaring jobs.
Together with your delegates, the AMOU, AIMPE and MIAL, your Union has been working with the Federal Labor Government to implement the Strategic Fleet Taskforce recommendations - all of which the government accepted or committed to work towards finding a pathway.
Since then, we have made significant progress and it's important we celebrate the wins in our campaign. Together, this is what we have achieved:
Following lobbying efforts coordinated by our National Office team, the Federal Government announced on 4th March that it will be investing $16.9 million to support skills and training in the maritime industry. The funding will give up to 20 trainee seafarers each year, for four years, access to berths to complete their sea time.
We know sea time is a barrier to entry and this support will kickstart our push for an industry training levy so all trainees have the same opportunity.
$2.5 million will also flow to Industry Skills Australia (ISA) to address the training barriers to alleviate the maritime skills shortage. Assistant National Secretary Jamie Newlyn sits on the board of ISA and with Glen Williams, Newcastle Branch Secretary, has been pursuing our training agenda on maritime projects.
This includes establishing the National Maritime Skills Network, co-ordination of sea time for trainees through a group training model and guiding the workforce supply and demand forecast study.
Following coordinated campaigning by MUA branches, state Labor governments have also come to the table, committing:
$21 million under the Backing Queensland Maritime Jobs initiative with grants for coastal shipping, maritime employment and maritime training
$5 million for a Supply Chain Resilience Fund if the WA Labor Government is re-elected. This fund will support initiatives to build WA's shipping capability particularly in during emergencies and will complement the Australian Strategic Fleet.
Establishing the Strategic Fleet to secure Australia's defence and supply chain resilience. The tender process for the first three vessels has closed. The tenders are being evaluated and contract negotiations are underway. We expect an announcement in the next couple of months.
Review into the Coastal Trading Act & Shipping Registration Act - the interim report is expected to be delivered this month. Perhaps the most important part of our reforms to ensure that Australian jobs are not undermined by Flags of Convenience ships and crew and that Australian registered ships are given priority for coastal trading work. This review has the potential to establish the case for legislative change so new laws can be drafted.
Following the ITF Inspectorate's Nowhere to Hide campaign to shine a light on the exploitation and wage theft happening in Australian waters, the Labor government has provided additional funding for FWO & AMSA to work together to address wage theft on temporary licence vessels.
The government has started a review into the impact the two Award-Free voyages have had on international and Australian seafarers. Your union is pushing for the regulation to be scrapped so all workers will be entitled to at a minimum Award wages and conditions while working in coastal trading.
Finally, we have been working hard to make sure that there are opportunities for more Australian seafaring jobs with the government's commitment to decarbonisation through offshore wind projects and funding for Future Made in Australia programs.
We know policy change can seem slow and the cumulative impact of these major steps forward isn't immediately felt. There's more to do to create an even playing field so Australian shipping can compete fairly with international shipping companies, but each step takes us closer to our shared goal.
We have to keep up this momentum. With a Federal election imminent we need a government that will deliver and follow through on the progress we've already made.
Regardless of who wins government, we have to stand together and keep fighting to protect the gains we've made and fight for the changes we want to save Australian shipping for ourselves but also future generations of Australian maritime workers.
Paddy Crumlin
MUA National Secretary
