MISSION to Seafarers Sydney hosted its second annal parliamentary luncheon on Friday.
Local supporters of the maritime workforce gathered at NSW Parliament to hear about the charity’s work over the past year, shaped by the impacts of cost-of-living pressures, Covid and the war in Ukraine.
MtS Sydney CEO Clayton Strong welcomed 177 guests to the occasion and introduced guest speaker Paddy Crumlin, president of the International Transport Workers’ Federation and national secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia.
Mr Crumlin highlighted industry’s collective responsibility to seafarers and encouraged the room to engage on those responsibilities regardless of personal, political, industrial or professional perspectives.
He recalled the pandemic restrictions that kept seafarers on board vessels, and the work of the welfare providers and agencies who were the first to board gangways and reach out to those on board.
“We’re in an esoteric industry that not a lot of people understand,” Mr Crumlin said. “They understand how important it is economically, but they’re manipulated by policy and subjective political views.
“We’re here today in celebration of the fact that we care … and we’re doing something about it.
“That’s why sponsorship becomes so important. If we’re rebuilding a world around environment and social and governance … if we have a situation where if we don’t cope with our responsibilities today, that tomorrow won’t look after itself.
“Part of the importance of today is that we’re pulling each other together through our responsibilities, that we are the operators of the international industry.”
Captain John Bradley, MtS Sydney board member and chair of the fundraising committee, described the challenging and lonely circumstances many crewmembers face at sea.
“The sea, the weather, and associated perils have not changed … but sea transport has changed greatly over the years in line with the growth of international trade,” Mr Bradley said.
“We now have very large ships berthing at remote, specialised terminals; quick turnarounds, and this means limited opportunity for the crew to get ashore. Ships and crew are today out of site and out of mind.”
MtS Sydney said all proceeds raised from the parliamentary luncheon would be used to boost the charity’s wellbeing work for seafarers.
