Lots of news and photos - Year of the Seafarer

1. August, 2009
Hello from Col Brown- National
Liaison & Support Officer
Greetings from the Mission to
Seafarers Australian Council.
This is the second newsletter for
the year. Much has happened since
the last “Glad Tidings” was
circulated- we have a new
Secretary General in London, the
retirement of some chaplains and
the commissioning of new ones
The United Nation has announced
around Australia, and a number of
that next year’s theme for World
exciting renovations and “face
Maritime Day will be “2010: Year
lifts” to our mission centres, as
of the Seafarer”. This proclamation
well as the recruitment of some
is most timely given that it is
terrific volunteers.
expected that the United Nation’s
Maritime Labour Convention
We continue to watch closely the
(known as the Seafarers’ Bill of
plight of the world’s economy as it
Rights) could come into force next
struggles to recover, and its
year.
obvious impact on the maritime
industry. With particular concern,
The new Convention is a
we monitor how well our beloved
consolidation and update of more
seafarers are coping in the present
than 68 earlier ILO Conventions
climate of considerable uncertainty
and Recommendations. The
as they continue to work the
Seafarers’ Bill of Rights is rightly
world’s oceans at great peril, to
hailed as a landmark development
make a living for themselves and
for the world’s most globalised
loved ones.
sector which moves over 90% of
world trade.
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2. The Seafarers’ Bill of Rights 1. New Secretary General
covers issues such as- minimum visiting Australia
requirements for seafarers working Central office’s Revd Tom Heffer,
on ships, conditions of recently appointed Secretary
employment at sea, onboard General to the Mission to Seafarers
accommodation and recreational is visiting Australia in September,
facilities, food and catering, health to attend our national conference
protection, medical care, welfare in Rockingham. This will be a
and social security protection plus wonderful opportunity for our new
compliance and enforcement of chaplains and managers to meet
seafarers’ rights. and spend some quality time with
Tom.
It is critical that all our MTS
personnel get an opportunity to He is a strong supporter of our
familiarise themselves with this ministry in Australia and has a
historic Convention. To this end, very good understanding of how
we are planning a visit from the we operate down under. Our
UK by the Revd Canon Ken Peters ‘older’ MTS personnel met Tom at
head of the MTS central office our last national conference in
Justice and Welfare desk. Ken will Katoomba in 2007. Following that
be offering workshops in both the conference, Tom visited a number
east and west to help prepare us for of our centres in NSW, Victoria
the new era in seafarer’s rights. and Queensland to meet MTS
We are hoping that Ken will be volunteers and supporters.
with us for the first two weeks in
March next year. More detail will
be revealed at the Rockingham
conference that is almost upon us.
The following news is only a
snapshot of events but at least it
will bring people up to speed on During this visit Tom will meet the
some recent happenings prior to people at our Fremantle and
our gathering at Rockingham. Bunbury centres in the west. Tom
will then fly to New Zealand for an
MTS Oceania conference in
Tauranga before returning to
London. Safe travel Tom as we
look forward very much to your
visit.
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3. 2. National conference 4. Sea Sunday celebrated
Registrations have been strong for around the nation
conference places. We are Many of our centres have
approaching a ‘full house’ celebrated well attended Sea
situation. Interestingly, around Sunday services in the last month.
50% of those coming to Garry Dodd- the 24th chaplain to
Rockingham were not with MTS the Port of Newcastle has kindly
when we held the 2007 Katoomba provided this photo taken at the
conference. So it will be exciting Annual Sea Sunday service in
to see so many new faces with Newcastle Cathedral, in July. Mr
many more new stories to share in Garry Webb CEO of Newcastle
September. Port Corporation participated in
the service, as did many
The actual conference programme volunteers, friends and supporters
will be sent out shortly. If anyone of the Newcastle mission.
has any questions or concerns in
the meantime please ring Col [02
42377791] or Graham [07
47722774].
5. Cape Lambert’s new
ministry
Richard Goscombe formerly of the
Sydney parish of Cranebrook in
3. Belfast Forum
Sydney’s western suburbs has
Bishop Garry, Graham Miller, Ian
recently commenced a ministry in
Porter and Col Brown attended the
the Pilbara, based at Wickham.
international MTS conference on
Richard’s arrival is wonderful
behalf of the Australian Council in
news for the many seafarers
Belfast last May. A report on the
visiting the busy iron ore port of
conference experience will be
Cape Lambert not far from the
given at the Rockingham
town of Wickham. Richard will be
conference.
able to spend part of his ministry
visiting seafarers at this remote
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4. port. The port owners Rio Tinto 7. Bunbury’s ship visiting
have promised to support course full steam ahead
Richard’s work there.
On the weekend before the
We wish Richard and Tracy and Rockingham conference
their three children- Rachel, Sarah Melbourne’s Ken Cahill will be
and Joshua all the very best in this running a ship visiting course in
new and exciting challenge. Be Bunbury for the volunteers from
kind to dad! there and Albany. Considerable
interest has been shown already-
so we expect a good number to
participate.
8. Darwin progress
Our efforts to establish a ministry
at East Arm terminal in Darwin are
proceeding slowly but surely.
Although we have hit a few
6. Bunbury’s celebrations obstacles Jeremy Greaves, Dean of
Darwin Cathedral has kindly
Tim Hopwood has invited all offered to join the Darwin Port
conference participants to visit his Welfare committee which should
Bunbury centre on Saturday 12 help prepare the way for us there.
September- the day after the
conference concludes.
Tim and his volunteers have
worked very hard to complete the
extensions to their centre and all
are invited to attend the
blessing/dedication of the work.
Tom Heffer will also be traveling
to Bunbury on that Saturday to
participate in Bunbury’s 9. Port Hedland’s face lift
celebrations
. Out of Port Hedland comes good
Ring Tim for details on 08 9721 and bad news. The ‘good news’ is
2370 if you are interested in that the centre has been repainted
joining them. and received a most impressive
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5. face lift. The ‘bad news’ is that Ian also mentions that plans are
Peter and Carol Morgan the afoot for the construction of
centre’s managers, are leaving another iron ore port between
Hedland for Victoria in the coming Dampier and Cape Lambert. The
months. Carol and Peter’s world wants our iron ore.
contribution at Hedland has been
enormous and they will be sorely
missed. Let’s hope that we can 11. Hobart ship visiting
entice them to another seafaring training course
centre further down the track.
Carol and Peter you cannot hide all Hobart MTS hosted a very
that talent and light under a successful ship visiting training
Victorian bushel for too long. course for volunteers from our
Hobart and Bell Bay centres.
Arthur Hinsley in great style took
everyone through their paces- and
all passed the course with flying
colours. The locals were thrilled
that Fr Hillary and Fr Garry Dodd
participated in the course. Garry is
our port chaplain in Newcastle and
Hilary is MTS’ seafaring chaplain
in the Solomon Islands.
10. Dampier’s news
Ian McGilvray’ monthly reports
are always full of interesting news
but have mentioned a number of
very nasty accidents involving
seafarers that Ian has had to attend
to in the last few months. Such
reports always remind us of the
extreme dangers our seafaring
brothers and sisters face on an 12. Fr Hillary visiting
almost daily basis to try and make Gladstone
a living to support themselves and
loved ones. Hillary’s bravery in traveling from
the hot and steamy Solomon
Islands direct to freezing Hobart to
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6. join in the course, was something and refurbishing job to their
to behold. Col, Garry and a frozen seafaring centre, which is perfectly
Hillary [wearing at least three located in the port precincts,
woollen beanies, two heavy duty overlooking the wharf/berthing
socks on each foot and Antarctic facilities. We are thrilled that
designed thermal underwear] also Garry Jones will be joining us at
visited Garry Jones’ centre at Bell Rockingham as it has been a long
Bay. Once Hillary defrosted time since anyone from Bell Bay
[taking around 48 hours] he was has attended a national conference.
able to move and speak a little, Bell Bay is now Tasmania’s
telling us how much he “enjoyed” busiest port for overseas ship
the Tassie experience- before visits.
catching a fast plane direct to
sunny Gladstone in Queensland.
He will spend a few months at our
Gladstone centre helping Trevor
Phillips and the volunteers with
some ship visiting work before
returning home later this year. We
wish Hilary all the very best for his
stay in Gladstone. The Gladstone
MTS centre will be much richer
for Hilary’s presence, gifts and 14. Ken Peters to visit us in
happy smile around the place. March 2010
As mentioned in the introduction,
we are thrilled that the Revd
Canon Ken Peters head of the
MTS Justice and Welfare desk in
central office London will be
presenting workshops in Australia
in the first two weeks of March
2009.
We are still working out with Ken
13. Bell Bay’s facelift the detail and logistics of the visit
but the theme of the workshops
The Bell Bay volunteers have done will concentrate on the new
a marvelous painting, renovating Maritime Labour Convention
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7. [known as the Seafarers’ Bill of 16. The next meeting of the
Rights] which hopefully will soon Australian Council
gain ratification and come into
force in 2010. The Convention The next meeting of the Australian
requires adoption by at least 30 Council will take place at the
countries representing 33% of Rockingham conference following
world tonnage. Australia has not the election of the new councilors
yet ratified the Convention which during the conference. The first
we hope and pray is not too far meeting for 2010 is planned for
away. early March on the East coast
which should coincide with Ken
Peter’s visit and give the new
council members and Liaison
Bishops a chance to spend time
with Ken.
15. International Year of the
Seafarer- 2010 17. Philip and Kath are
leaving Geraldton
Ken’s visit is well timed as the
International Maritime After spending one year at
Organization [a specialized agency Geraldton helping get the centre
of the UN] has recently proclaimed back on its feet and open for
2010 as “International Year of the business, Philip and Kathy Knife
Seafarer”. The IMO Council said are returning to Perth soon. Thank
“it would give the international you very much to the two of you
maritime community the for the dedication and terrific
opportunity to pay tribute to the contribution you have made in
world’s 1.5 million seafarers for resurrecting the ministry at
their unique contribution to society Geraldton port. Arrangements
and the world’s economy.” No have been made for the Rev Laurie
doubt our conference gathering Skilton to come from Perth to be
will give us an opportunity to
decide on how we will respond to
the 2010 seafaring theme. Ken’s
visit is a good start- and more
should be known about Ken’s
plans by then that can be shared
and discussed at the conference.
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8. the locum chaplain until the end of 19. Port Kembla’s ship
the year. We will get a chance to blessing
welcome Laurie at the national
conference. A very moving ship blessing
ceremony was carried out recently
18. Brisbane’s new chaplain onboard the brand new car
carrying Silverstone Express, in
A very warm welcome to the Revd Port Kembla harbour. Following
Daniel Vun who has just been an accident to a crew member in
commissioned as chaplain to the Melbourne on its first working
Mission to Seafarers Brisbane. voyage, the captain and crew were
Dan and wife Helen (also a very keen for the blessing to take
chaplain) last month, moved from place on the ship’s arrival at Port
New Zealand to Brisbane, and Kembla. MTS’ Dave Masters
have settled in to the new organized for Fr Bernie Doudle to
surroundings smoothly. We look lead the onboard liturgy which was
forward to meeting Dan in attended by the captain, the crew,
Rockingham and extending our Dave, Col Brown and volunteers
congratulations and best wishes for from our Port Kembla centre.
the big job ahead.
Following a blessing of the ship
As you may know, the Queensland itself, then the bridge, galley,
government has controversially engine room and each crew
announced that the Port of member everyone was in great
Queensland is to be put on the spirits- and it was a happy and
market for sale. A figure of around contented crew that set sail later
3.5 billion dollars has been mooted that day for the northern
as its commercial worth. Daniel hemisphere.
and Col have an appointment to
meet with Brisbane Port’s CEO
Jeff Coleman next week- not to
discuss purchase of the port but to
explore ways in which the Port can
better support our ministry there!
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