Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 6:52:27 to 6:56:26
Inquiry into collective bargaining rights for seafarers on Carnival Cruise vessels.
Topics: Workplace relations, Infrastructure
Speakers: Senator Barbara Pocock, Megan Scott, Hon Anthony Chisholm, Rachel Parry, Unknown Speaker, Senator Glenn Sterle
can I come to you because the minister clearly has indicated made a change as we just heard that collective bargaining cannot be restricted. Um seafares have a right to to um engage in collective. Does it bother you that the department is unaware uh that these workers petition is not being responded to? They do not are not engaged. They are being refused the right to bargain. Uh I I am
am aware of the issues and I would just acknowledge the work that Senator Sheldon did uh over the course of a weekend uh with some of those impacted as well. Uh and I do note that as you have the minister uh providing the additional requirement that vessel owner's policies do not restrict the ability of seafares to engage in collective bargaining. uh I am confident that would be the expectation of the minister in terms of what these companies are meeting
>> given what we know uh that we is occurring and given the media announcement made by that minister on the 2nd of October what steps will the department take to ensure that Carnival engages in collective bargaining for
Senator, when the new exemption comes into effect, we will have a process uh by which we can assess those claims. The department's working through that with the minister's office at the moment, noting that those new requirements um don't come into effect until 1 January 2027.
If Carnival continues to refuse to engage in collective bargaining, will the department remove the exemption from the coastal trading act for these three homeported vessels?
>> The department will have um the option to take action against those vessels um for engaging in coastal trading without a license. Yes.
>> So an option is as I suggest to remove the exemption from the coastal trading act for these three. It's an option. So
those vessels would not meet the exemption requirements. They would not be exempt. Um and as Miss Scott said, if
they then engaged in those activities without a license, then they would be in
breach. So there are a large number of cruise ships that visit Australia every year. The only four ships that refuse to uphold the right to collective bargaining are all owned by Carnival Cruisers. Am I correct in saying that?
>> Uh we understand that is in fact correct, Senator. >> If I might add those, Senator, because we don't currently regulate them. That's the information that we are aware of, but we haven't undertaken our own due
diligence given they are not currently
>> But that is your understanding. Given that there's such an outlier in the industry, how much longer will your department continue to allow Carnival Carnival to flout their maritime labor convention obligations before taking
what you've heard the officials testif test testimony is that the exemption will come in the direction will come into effect one January. >> So, that's clearly what we're working towards to be able to ensure compliance
line complies with their exemption.
>> And u Miss Parry, how um effect how timely do you expect the operation of that lever to be after the 1st of January?
>> Well, we're working on it currently. You
can >> preparing for preparing for that. while
will then be able to have that lever um
>> thank you. Thank you. Thanks, J.
>> 4 minutes, anyone? Or should we go to an early break? You got four minutes? No.