Thursday, 16 November 2023

Adjournment

Maritime Union of Australia

David HODGETT (Croydon) (17:11): (451) My adjournment is for the Minister for Ports and Freight, and the action I seek is for the minister to intervene in the CFMEU Maritime Union of Australia division protected industrial action against DP World and urge her federal counterpart to put forward a request for a section 431 Fair Work Act 2009 ministerial declaration terminating protected industrial action at DP World terminals on the grounds of significant economic damage to a part of Australia’s economy. Minister, you would be aware of and would have no doubt been briefed on the DP World negotiations with the CFMEU MUA division and the further industrial actions and negotiation stalemate in relation to the enterprise agreement negotiations. The Maritime Union of Australia has presented over 300 claims and in October initiated protected industrial action. The industrial action is significantly impacting importers and exporters and having a detrimental impact on the Victorian economy and the Australian economy.

Minister, you have a role to play in urging the MUA to rejoin negotiations and collaboratively find a resolution. I understand there are 15,000 containers sitting at DP’s terminals, and this backlog is not able to be cleared while the protected industrial action continues. Minister, DP World is 15,000 containers behind, and if protected industrial action goes ahead this weekend there will be delays on goods and this will impact the Victorian economy and the Australian economy. The minister must encourage the CFMEU MUA division to cease its protected industrial action and return to the negotiating table. The industrial action is adversely impacting the state’s supply chain, costing businesses and industry and ultimately hurting Victorian consumers. The bans and stoppages are impacting all DP World sites in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle, and the minister should be acting in the interests of Melbourne and Victoria. Again, I ask the Minister for Ports and Freight to urge her federal counterpart to put forward a request for a section 431 Fair Work Act ministerial declaration terminating protected industrial action at DP World terminals on the grounds of significant economic damage to a part of Australia’s economy.