Port authorities fear security breaches

July 20, 2005

Security at Australia's ports is being put at risk by irregular criminal background checks of workers and a lack of proper controls on foreign ship crews, port authorities say.

The concerns have been expressed in a submission to a Senate inquiry into changes to maritime transport security laws, which is due to report on August 9.

The Association of Australian Ports and Marine Authorities said it was worried that background checks for workers, to gain a maritime security identification card (MSIC), were only renewed every five years.

"We have been urging the AFP representatives . . . that the AFP should liaise with the state police forces and coordinate their respective databases to ensure that criminal background checks can be live and ongoing rather than the present system whereby they must be updated at the end of the life of the relevant identity card (five years for MSICs)," the association said.

"ASIO checks are live and ongoing thus providing continuity to the security aspect of the background checking process.

We understand that the AFP and the state police forces are talking to one another but it is unfortunate that it appears that continuous checking may not be possible for a number of years yet.

"This is a major weakness and does not appear to meet the security standards that the government is setting."

The port authorities said that while Customs received a full crew listing of foreign ships 48 hours before they arrived and checked the names against a multi-agency database, there were flaws in the system.

"When foreign crews are leaving the ship for shore leave, there appears to be a wide range of security checks, depending on the practice of the port or the particular facility," the submission said.

"Visiting foreign seafarers are required to carry photographic identification with them when they are going ashore and returning to the ship.

"Some facilities seek to ease the access to shore by issuing temporary access cards, which do not carry personal photographs, and we have heard that such systems can be abused (the photo identification does not mean that the seafarer has been through security background checking).

"We are ensuring the security of Australian seafarers through the issuing of MSICs, however, insufficient attention is being paid to visiting seafarers."

The association called for greater funding of state police to tackle port security and a boost to the number of federal maritime security inspectors.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union said background checks of port workers were problematic and short-sighted.

"It is specious to suggest that an individual with a dated conviction for assault has the proclivity to engage in terrorist action, whether it be illegal trade in explosives, importation of chemicals, or hijacking," the union said in its submission.

"The AMWU believes, along with the other unions, that once a sentence has been served, a person had repaid their debt to society and ought to be entitled to gainful and meaningful employment and to be allowed to make a contribution to the Australian community."

The union also raised concerns about foreign ship crews.

"The AMWU notes that 113 foreign seafarers jumped ship in Australia between July 2001 and April 2004," the union said.

"Although foreign flagged vessels entering Australia will meet international security requirements, the level of confidence in the security checking of their crews will be lower than for Australian flagged vessels."

Beefed up security checks for ports are expected to come into force later this year once new laws pass parliament.

Source: The Age; http://www.theage.com.au/news/war-on-terror/port-authorities-fear-security-breaches/2005/07/20/1121539016927.html?oneclick=true

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