The Oceanic Viking, Australia’s only Southern Ocean fisheries patrol boat, remains holed up in northern waters as part of the Rudd Labor Government’s flawed approach to border security and asylum seekers.

Yesterday it was revealed instead of returning to the Southern Ocean to fight off foreign fishing poachers, the Oceanic Viking was picking up the latest boatload of asylum seekers off the Ashmore Islands and presumably ferrying them to Christmas Island.

This followed the ship being anchored in Indonesian waters, with 78 asylum seekers on board, for over a month.

Coalition spokesman for Fisheries, Senator Richard Colbeck, said it was a disgrace Australia’s Southern Ocean fishing businesses were being left to fend for themselves.

“Prime Minister Rudd must explain when the Oceanic Viking will return to its important duties of protecting Australia’s Southern Ocean fisheries and apprehending illegal international fishing poachers.”

In the 2009-2010, funds were set aside for the vessel:

“More than $6 million over two years will also be provided for the Oceanic Viking to undertake an additional 80 days of surveillance and patrol in Australia’s northern waters.” (12 May 2009 media release by the Minister for Home Affairs)

Senator Colbeck said the vessel had been in northern waters since, at the very least, the 20th of September meaning it has undertaken a minimum of 75 patrol days – and, most probably, many more days.

“The Rudd Government’s additional budget funds for the Oceanic Viking to stay in northern waters have now dried up.

“The ship must return to the Southern Ocean and undertake the duties it was originally contracted by the government to perform, that is, fight illegal fishing including apprehending Patagonian Toothfish poachers.

“By failing to protect Australia’s fisheries, the Rudd Government puts at risk the livelihoods of fishing businesses and their employees, not to mention the many Australian communities economically reliant on their fishing fleets,” Senator Colbeck said.
SENATOR THE HON RICHARD COLBECK Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator for Tasmania