Western Australian Minister for Ports, Hon Stephen Dawson, has confirmed that the Ports WA forum will review the potential use of welfare levies to support seafarer welfare initiatives.
The forum brings together all the state’s port authorities and relevant government agencies.
“I recognise the critical role that 260,000 seafarers play in connecting the state of Western Australia to global markets and the challenging conditions they sometimes face at sea,” said Dawson.
“The Western Australian Government and its port authorities are deeply committed to the welfare of seafarers and support the implementation of a sustainable funding model for welfare facilities and services in this state. WA port authorities are actively working on securing industry funding for these facilities and services and to provide in-kind and financial support to welfare organisations.”
A recent example is the new Seafarer Centre which is being developed at Port Hedland as a joint initiative of the government and iron ore exporters.
His commitment to review the potential use of welfare levies comes in response to lobbying from Human Rights at Sea (HRAS). Paul MacGillivary, a long-time seafarer welfare advocate and currently a HRAS Global Ambassador in Australia, wrote to the minister in October proposing the implementation of a maritime welfare levy in Australia as part of on-going HRAS campaigning over the last five years.
In 2022, HRAS published a legal opinion highlighting the risk of Australia breaching its welfare obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) if it failed to secure sufficient long-term funding for shore-based welfare facilities. This opinion clearly emphasized how and why updated legislation, favouring sustainable levy funding at a federal level, could significantly improve welfare safeguards for the seafarers arriving in Australian ports.
“The funding would be used to provide services that help meet what is required under the Maritime Labour Convention,” says MacGillivary. “This falls into the broad categories of communication services (Wi-Fi and telecommunications), information services, ship visits, shopping (for those crew not able to leave ship), money exchange, access and transport to welfare centres, transport services to and from town, and support for mental and physical health, wellbeing and advocacy services.”
MacGillivary says that a state or federally legislated levy would provide an assured baseline federal funding mechanism secured in law. “In essence, this issue can be accomplished through minimal legislative amendments as has been done in New Zealand. The solution lies in ring-fencing a small percentage of existing maritime levy funds overseen by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.”
He highlights the need to provide on-going support for the charities and volunteers that are currently providing invaluable services predominately financed by donations and gift shop sales. “The amounts received are insufficient to employ young professionals (who might otherwise see this as a career path) and provide the services that seafarers really need.
“It is time, well past time, for a committed focus and political will to secure sustainable funding for seafarers’ welfare in Australia, and Human Rights at Sea welcomes the positive action being taken by Minister Dawson.”
ENDS.
Read More (Maritime Levy Campaign Australia)
- Maritime Levy Campaign
- New Zealand Government drives legislative change in support of Seafarers’ Centres
- HRAS Pursues Australian Legislative Change for Long-Term Maritime Levy Seafarer Support
- Expansion of Port Welfare Committees in Australia driven by the changing dynamics of seafarer care
- Strategies To Overcome Obstacles To Implementing A Maritime Welfare Levy In Australia For Assured Seafarer On-Shore Welfare Facilities
- Shortfall in funding for seafarer welfare raised in UK Parliament
Source: Human Rights at Sea 2025. Reporting by Wendy Laursen.
AI. AI was not used in the drafting of this article.
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