Seafarer welfare in WA Ports under government spotlight

Seafarer welfare in WA Ports under government spotlight

On the second day of the Mission to Seafarers’ Welfare Conference in Fremantle, the Western Australian state government’s Minister for Ports, David Michael, announced a more sustainable funding model for seafarer welfare services at Fremantle Ports.

The WA Government’s proposed model would compel the shipping industry to contribute in what he said would be an “ongoing, reasonable and systematic manner”.

“The signs are positive that progress is being made in this direction,” Minister Michael told the gathering of ports, shipping and transport sector welfare providers.

The WA Government made this commitment to seafarer welfare in an effort to address and mitigate the illegal and inhumane treatment of maritime workers while at port across Western Australia.

Ports Minister David Michael and Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel at the site of the proposed new Seafarers Centre in Port Hedland

“Typically these risks are confinement of ships for long periods, non-payment of or withheld salaries and unlawful or unreasonable working conditions”, the Minister explained.

“Elsewhere in WA, all our port authorities are equally supportive of seafarer welfare initiatives. In the south of the state, Southern Ports Authority provides active support through cooperation with seafarer missions in the three ports of Albany, Esperance and Bunbury.”

About 18,000 seafarers visit these three ports each year, and Southern Ports Authority has funded new seafarer transport buses in Esperance and Bunbury, donated $20,000 to welfare missions in Albany, and donated bicycles with helmets to the Mission to Seafarers both at Esperance and Bunbury to give visiting seafarers access to a wider range of activities to better enjoy the shore leave they’re legally entitled to under the Maritime Labor Convention.

“These very human touches typify the close relationships between the missions, the seafarers that they look after, and the port authorities who manage shipping and landside operations. Of course, the state government’s most significant investment in seafarer welfare was announced recently, and this is the development of a new seafarer centre at our busiest port of Port Hedland.”

The Minister said a $13.5 million centre would be built on the land which the state purchased a few years ago.

“The cost of the new centre will be recovered over several years through a levy on iron ore shipping serviced by the port. This centre will provide services to 150,000 seafarers who visit the port every year as the existing centre which I got to visit is no longer suitable for purposes of modern seafarer welfare support. The new centre will provide a full range of accommodation, recreational spaces, dining facilities and chaplaincy in a comfortable and modern facility.

“We’re very grateful for the strong support of industry for this initiative and I commend the Pilbara Port Authority for their strong advocacy and desire to get this project off the ground. I look forward to seeing it open and improving the experience of visitors to a busier port and bustling port.”

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