1. NATIONAL
NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT Issue: 08
NATIONAL
NEWS ON THE
SEAFARING FRONT
By Colin Brown
National Co-ordinator
In this section:
Dr Doumbia-Henry & Hon. Anthony Albanese MP
• AMSA Asia- Pacific Regional conference on Maritime
Labour Convention 2006
• Mission to Seafarers National Coordinator’s address AMSA ASIA-PACIFIC
•
to the conference
Moving closer to ratification of the Maritime Labour
REGIONAL MLC
Convention Australian Council’s negotiations with CONFERENCE
Government for funding assistance
• AMSA National Seafarers’ Welfare Advisory Committee
• Parliamentary submission by the Australian Council of The port of Cairns was an ideal setting for the Australian Maritime
the Mission to Seafarers. Safety Authority’s conference on the Maritime Labour Convention
2006. Some twenty nations from the region attended representing
over sixty percent of the world’s seafarers. The national coordinator of
the Mission to Seafarers Australia was invited to attend and make a
presentation during one of the sessions. Of course, we accepted the
invitation to address such an important and influential gathering with
considerable gratitude.
The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP delivered the keynote address on
“the importance of the MLC to the Australian Government”. Those
present were very heartened to hear of the Minister’s enthusiasm for
ratification of the Convention, and his keen understanding of how
hard life at sea can be for the world’s 1.3 million seafarers.
Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry who is Director, International Labour
Standards Department of the International Labour Organization
provided a global overview of the MLC, the progress in its
implementation and highlighted some emerging issues.
Paddy Crumlin Global President, International Transport Workers
Federation and the Australian Maritime Workers Union also
presented on the importance of the MLC to the maritime family.
AMSA’s CEO Graham Peachey and Deputy CEO Mick Kinley- both
great supporters of the Mission to Seafarers in Australia - gave

2. NATIONAL
NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT Issue: 08
presentations from the perspective of the Australian maritime The conference program, presenters and copies of presentations
regulator and its future role in the life of the MLC, hopefully to be can be found at www.amsa.gov.au/MLC/presentations.asp and
ratified by 2011. is recommended reading for those interested in the well being of
today’s seafarer.
NATIONAL COORDINATORS
PRESENTATION TO THE ASIA-PACIFIC
REGIONAL CONFERENCE
Col Brown addressed the conference on the theme of “How the
Maritime Labour Convention will improve the lives of seafarers”. The
full text of that address can be found on this website.
The actual presentation afforded a unique opportunity to showcase
the already herculean work the Mission to Seafarers does in twenty
five ports around Australia’s coastline- highlighting the fact that last
year we welcomed well over 100,000 grateful overseas seafarers
through our doors. It also provided the platform to mention the
strain of the tremendous amount of fundraising we must carry out
annually to keep our seafarers centres welcoming, equipped and
operational. And of course, without our some 500 faithful and
dedicated volunteers none of this would be possible.
It was made clear in the presentation that despite our very best
“ ...last year we welcomed well over 100,000
“
efforts it seems that we are reaching fewer than fifty per cent of
those seafarers needing contact with us. Accordingly for our
grateful overseas seafarers through our doors.
organization to increase its capacity to serve more seafarers,
strive for better or best practice, and ensure the sustainability and
longevity of our welfare ministry the time has come for Governments
and invested others to permanently contribute to the funding of
our humanitarian endeavours. So that rather than our having AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL’S
the capacity to reach only fifty percent of crew we will have the
capacity to reach all that need us. Otherwise, the noble words and
MEETINGS WITH
ideals of the MLC (called the “Seafarers Bill of Rights”) will remain AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT
but a fantasy to all those seafarers in need of quality shore time,
human friendship and warmth, and engagement with caring people
prepared and able to attend to the hundred and one practical For the latter part of last year and this year Bishop Garry and the
needs crews may have before returning to work on the lonely, MtS National Coordinator have been in negotiation with officers of
dangerous and vast ocean. the Australian Maritime Safety Authority regarding funding support
for the work of the Mission to Seafarers in Australia. We are well
pleased with the progress of the discussions and await a meeting
date with Minister Albanese to further advance our proposal for
permanent annual assistance.

3. NATIONAL
NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT Issue: 08
We have invited the Apostleship of the Sea to join us in these
negotiations and are presently drafting a joint proposal which will
supplant the original MtS submission.
It is also hoped that will gain the support of both the ITF and key
shipping interests to the churches’ joint proposal as all key maritime
stakeholders value and acknowledge the critical charitable work
that both our organization and the Apostleship of the Sea carry out
around some thirty Australian ports.
PARLIAMENTARY
SUBMISSION FROM
AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL
ON THE MLC
Late last year the MtS Australian Council was invited by the
Australian Government to participate in the Joint Standing
Committee on Treaties inquiry into the Maritime Labour Convention
2006. We were very keen to assist the Committee with this task
and forwarded a submission early in February of this year.
The Convention and related documents, including the National
Interest Analysis are available on the Committee’s website at:
www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jsct/24november2010/
index.htm
The Mission to Seafarers Australian Council submission to JSCOT is
found at www.mts.org.au/

4. NATIONAL
NEWS ON THE SEAFARING FRONT Issue: 08
AMSA SEAFARERS’ WELFARE The United Nations’ Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry at the Cairn’s
conference advised that the MLC was likely to be ratified by the
ADVISORY COMMITTEE end of 2011 and would come into force twelve months later. The
Convention requires the ratification of 30 countries with 33 per
cent of the world’s commercial tonnage. The number of nation
The work of this Committee now into its second year goes from ratifications has already exceeded the tonnage requirement and
strength to strength. The current membership of the Committee with the soon expected ratification of all 27 EU countries the other
shows the breadth of the commitment to seafarer welfare from requirement will be achieved as well.
a wide spectrum of the maritime family including the Mission to
Seafarers (represented by Colin Brown), Apostleship of the Sea, Minister Albanese also confirmed that the Australian Government
Australian Shipowners Association, Ports Australia, Shipping was close to ratifying the Convention.
Australia, International Transport Federation, Australian Mariners
Welfare Society, Department of Education, Employment & When the Convention becomes law, AMSA will be responsible
Workplace Relations and AMSA. for inspecting foreign-flagged ships entering Australian ports for
The chair of the Committee Paul MacGillivary has recently left compliance with the MLC.
AMSA and it is expected that the new chair will be known by the
next meeting scheduled for 15 June 2011. AMSA inspection of foreign- flagged vessels will generally be:
1. a review of the Maritime Labour Certificate and Declaration
A former seafarer himself we would like to acknowledge Paul’s of Maritime Labour Compliance which will be prima facie
great drive and passion for the well being of seafarers constantly evidence of compliance with the MLC
demonstrated in his chairing of meetings, and we wish him well in 2. inspection of vessels that have not been issued with a ML
his move from Canberra to the West. Fortunately his talents will not Certificate and a Declaration of ML Compliance to MLC
be lost to the maritime community in his new position. standards; and
3. inspection of vessels where the ML Certificate and Compliance
The achievements and plans of the ASWAC are available on Declaration appear to be falsely maintained, or incomplete
www.amsa.gov.au/Seafarers_Welfare/meetings.html or where a contravention of the MLC is obvious, there are
reasonable grounds to believe that the ship has changed flag
to avoid compliance with the MLC, or a complaint about non-
compliance with the MLC has been made.
Many of our MtS personnel attended one day seminars/workshops
led by Revd Canon Ken Peters from central office, last year, in
preparation for the introduction of the MLC and we see the need
for refresher courses in the next twelve months. Maybe we can twist
Ken’s arm to return to our shores sooner than later
MOVING CLOSER TO RATIFI-
CATION OF THE MLC 2006
As we know the MLC is an emerging international global
priority, setting minimum requirements for seafarers to work on
a ship including conditions of employment, hours of work and
rest, accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering,
occupational health and safety, medical care, welfare and social
security protection.