Jacqui Lambie: overseas maritime crews may be terrorist threats …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXbgDVCr1O0

Independent Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie has called on Prime Minister Abbott to immediately stop the replacement of Australian Maritime workers with foreign crew on our coastal shipping routes – until he can prove to the Australian people – that those overseas maritime crews are not terrorist threats.

“All Australian maritime workers are required to undergo rigorous security, criminal history and health checks by ASIO, federal police and other government agencies, before they are allowed to work on board our ships.

And that’s a reasonable risk management strategy to have in place, given that the crew are in charge of vessels like Oil and Gas tankers – which could easily explode or be made to malfunction with devastating consequences to the Australian public and environment.

So why would the Liberal Government make it easer for overseas crews – with no Australian security or health checks to operate Oil and Gas tankers in our coastal waters and ports?

Given Australia’s current official high terrorism alert, the war with ISIS and the constant threat of Islamic extremist terrorist attacks around the world – surely an Oil or Gas tanker like the Alexander Spirit – moored in an Australian port or sailing in our waters – is just another Terrorist attack waiting to happen?

And crewing ships like the Alexander Spirit with foreigners who may have allegiances to our enemies – dramatically increases the risk of a successful and catastrophic terrorist attack.

“Just as we have to process asylum seekers and check their security credentials – we should also apply the same National security measures to all overseas maritime workers. Any foreign Maritime crew sailing or operating in our coastal waters must be checked for any links and allegiances they may have with criminals and terrorist organisations.”

Prime Minister Abbott is quick to send our troops overseas and constantly create new terrorism laws in order to appear tough on terrorists and boost his political ratings – but when it comes to taking simple, practical, common-sense steps to protect us from terrorist attacks – like crewing our Oil or Gas tankers with security cleared Australian workers, he refuses to act. Why?

Surely the $34,000 dollar donation from Caltex and other big oil companies to the Liberals’ / Nationals’ election campaign hasn’t stopped the Prime Minister from supporting a coastal shipping policy which doesn’t leave gaping holes in our border protection and national security systems?
Independent Senator for Tasmania Jacqui Lambie