Maritime Union of New Zealand

The Maritime Union says the budget announced today is a step backward for transport infrastructure.

Maritime Union General Secretary Trevor Hanson says the lack of support for the maritime industry is a glaring omission.

Mr Hanson says the abandonment of the SeaChange strategy to build up New Zealand shipping in favour of building more roads is a bad mistake.

“The Government has poured money into roading as the world hits peak oil and climate change. They are moving in exactly the wrong direction. Shipping is the transport mode of the future that is low-impact, environmentally responsible and cost effective in the long term, but has been sidelined.”

Mr Hanson says New Zealand is dependent on maritime trade, but has allowed its coastal fleet to be decimated by opening the coast to foreign vessels.

He says building roads is putting good money after bad and is only prolonging crunch time by relocating traffic jams around badly designed cities.

Mr Hanson says the Maritime Union has several key goals for a secure and stable New Zealand economy.

These include the public ownership of key assets such as ports, the development of a national ports strategy “KiwiPort” to get ports working together, the strengthening of job security by reducing casualization of jobs, and support for the development of New Zealand shipping.

He says it appears working class people will be paying for the instability of the global economic system, which served a minority rather than the majority.

“The simple fact is that the world is in the grip of a deepening economic crisis brought about by unregulated global capitalism. The National Party supports more of the same.”

The Maritime Union of New Zealand says the release today of the final domestic shipping strategy “Sea Change” is a positive move for New Zealand shipping.

Maritime Union Vice President Garry Parsloe says the Government’s plans for coastal shipping are moving in the right direction.

He says $36 million of funding for developing coastal shipping over the next four years was a major boost.

“The Maritime Union wants to see some of this funding put towards the training of young New Zealanders for careers in the maritime industry, which is the only real solution to skills shortages.”

Mr Parsloe says other positives are the stated goal for 30% of all inter-regional domestic freight by 2040 to be moved by coastal shipping, and the potential for major hub ports served by regional feeder ports.

“This will have major economic and environmental benefits for New Zealand.”

He says the Union is happy with the Government’s announcement it will be clarifying Section 198 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 which deals with the movement of coastal cargo by international vessels between domestic ports.

Mr Parsloe says this could offer a potential boost for New Zealand owned coastal shipping.

He says shipping is poised for a major comeback in transport and the Sea Change strategy showed a proactive approach by the Government to developing the maritime industry of the future.