CATHERINE KING & CAROL BROWN – MEDIA RELEASE – AUSTRALIA BEHIND THE PACK ON DOMESTIC SHIPPING – FRIDAY, 29 JANUARY 2021

Australia’s position as a laggard when it comes to domestic shipping capability has been again highlighted this week with the new US administration recommitting their support to an American-flagged merchant fleet.

Similar government policies in other countries ensure that Norway has 519 vessels carrying the Norwegian flag, the United Kingdom has 1157 flagged vessels and China has 4608 flagged vessels.

Australia however has been left behind as the Morrison Government continues abandoning domestic seafarers and chipping away at our sovereign maritime capabilities.

Over the past 30 years the number of Australian-flagged vessels has shrunk from 100 to barely over ten.

The Government continues to open Australia up to foreign flagged and crewed ships not only to import our vital supplies of fuels and other essentials, but also to move goods around our own country.  

This is a flagrant attack not only on the Australian shipping industry, but also our interstate rail industry.

Australia relies on shipping to move 99 per cent of our imports and exports, including fuel. It is critical that we maintain the sovereign capacity to import these supplies and transport them around Australia.  

Whether it be conflict, natural disaster or pandemic, history has shown us that we cannot always rely on other nations to carry our essential goods on their flagged ships. 

The Morrison Government urgently needs to set about rebuilding Australia’s merchant marine fleet, creating jobs and protecting our national security.

FRIDAY, 29 JANUARY 2021