<\/p>\n
On the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention, the NGO Human Rights at Sea has called on Catherine King, Australia\u2019s Minister for Transport, to take action on the consistent provision of seafarer welfare services after an advocate has travelled the nation securing funding in the absence of federal government support.<\/p>\n
The February announcement that Flinders Port Holdings has committed $200,000 to Mission to Seafarers is a reminder that, around Australia, welfare funding for seafarers is being driven not by national policy or coordinated planning, but by the determination of a few individuals and the goodwill of a handful of port operators, says Human Rights at Sea.<\/p>\n
One of those individuals is Sue Dight, Regional Director, Mission to Seafarers. Dight has visited ports around Australia to raise money for the charity after being unsuccessful in her attempts to secure meaningful funding from the federal government.<\/p>\n
Her efforts have produced a $2.5 million New South Wales Ports grant spread across four missions over five years, a new seafarer center in Port Hedland funded by Pilbara Ports, and new buses for Southern Ports.<\/p>\n
Now, Flinders Ports has added $200,000 over two years.<\/p>\n
The money goes to support the needs of over 500,000 seafarers arriving each year onboard the ships that underpin Australia\u2019s economic security and supply chain resilience.<\/p>\n
To get time ashore, some sacrifice rest time, and many may have just a few hours to contact friends and family, shop, seek medical advice, or simply relax and enjoy a change of environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cAustralian charities are very supportive, but they also face funding challenges, and some have not been able to maintain their usual operating hours or advance new initiatives in, for example, counselling and mental health,\u201d says Paul MacGillivary, a long-time seafarer welfare advocate and currently a Human Rights at Sea Global Ambassador in Australia.<\/p>\n
The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) calls for the establishment of port welfare committees to coordinate welfare provision at the local level.<\/p>\n
Without active committees, ports lack the governance structures required to assess needs, allocate resources, and ensure accountability, says MacGillivary. He was instrumental in setting up committees in Australia but now says no new port welfare committees have been established, nor existing ones revitalized, since 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cAustralia\u2019s reliance on sporadic corporate generosity and individual advocacy is not a substitute for a national framework,\u201d says MacGillivary. A modern maritime nation requires a coordinated, equitable, and transparent system for funding and delivering seafarer welfare services. This includes:<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0a national funding model that ensures baseline support for all ports<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0active, accountable port welfare committees in every port where welfare centers exist<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0consistent standards aligned with MLC obligations<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0mechanisms to ensure equitable distribution of resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is time for the Minister to demonstrate leadership at a national level and build a sustainable, equitable welfare system that reflects Australia\u2019s responsibilities as a maritime nation and supports those people and organizations that are devoted to filling the current void.\u201d
(Source: Human Rights at Sea)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
maritime professional<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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