Ruby Princess inquiry a ‘smokescreen’

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) branded the New South Wales Government’s inquiry into the Ruby Princess as a ‘smokescreen’ for the government’s failings in the second phase of the Ruby Princess saga after passengers disembarked.

The ITF joined with state and federal Labor politicians in calling for NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to expand the terms of reference of the inquiry to examine the events beyond 19 March 2020, including authorities’ disregard for the health, safety and welfare of crew and whether decisions made in relation to medical care, testing and repatriation exposed the crew, and the Australian public, to a greater risk of contracting COVID-19.

ITF coordinator Dean Summers said that the narrow terms of reference made it seem the Premier was trying to cover up the state government’s failings over the ship, rather than examine which lessons can be learnt to prevent future outbreaks on cruise vessels.

“Premier Berejiklian made a promise when she established this inquiry to ‘leave no stone unturned until we find out exactly what happened’, but the reality is that the limited scope of the Special Commission’s term of reference renders the inquiry a sham,” said Mr Summers.

“The 1200 crew members, whose health, safety and welfare were disregarded by authorities at every step of the way throughout the Ruby Princess saga, are now the victims of political smother.” 

In correspondence to ITF’s legal team, the Commission also stated that, “the treatment of infected crew after passengers disembarked the Ruby Princess on 19 March 2020, and the circumstances of their repatriation, or ongoing medical treatment on the vessel,” are of concern to the Commissioner.

“The inquiry must examine the events beyond when the passengers disembarked. We need to know with what information did the NSW Government send the Ruby Princess from Sydney to Port Kembla? Why didn’t they undertake any effort to test the crew or to repatriate crew before they were exposed to greater risk of contracting COVID-19?” said Mr Summers.

“Were the decisions of state and federal government’s consistent with Australia’s international obligations when cruise ships were ordered to leave the Australian coast no matter the catastrophe that those decisions would bring upon crew? 

“NSW Government and federal authorities are responsible as much for the welfare of the crew of the Ruby Princess as they are for the welfare of passengers. The Ruby Princess’ crew are people who simply went to work, and were put in danger because of the actions and inaction of authorities handling this outbreak. They deserve the justice of knowing everything was done that could be done to help them. They deserve to know what went wrong and how a similar travesty could be avoided,” said Mr Summers.

“We want federal and state agencies to own up, answer the hard questions, and admit where they got it wrong. That’s what the crew of the Ruby Princess deserve after being exposed to one of the biggest occupational health and safety calamities in Australia’s maritime history.

“If we can’t get justice from Premier Berejiklian, if she’s choosing cover-up over owning-up, then we’ll take this show to Canberra and ‘turn over’ all the ‘stones’ we need to, for as long as we need to,” said Mr Summers.

Should more be done to find out who was responsible for the Ruby Princess debacle?

9 comments

Yes, a big fail on many accounts and time heads rolled for this!

Well if NSW isn't doing the right thing here, then maybe federal politicians need to call a Royal Commission, with the appropriate scope, to report on all states failures during the pandamic.

Waste of money? Probably

Which politicians will take advice from the experts on the proper scope?  

 

What's new?

There has been a lot of speculation re members of a particular church linked to a NSW federal MP (a numbers man it is said) the speculation considers that perhaps that is the reason passengers were allowed to disembark with no testing or quarantine.

 

This speculation has NOT been cleared up.

This complaint by a union does not address what is happening. There is an enquiry under way and speculation about what it will uncover are premature. Mistakes have been made but how to apportion the blame will be at the end of the enquiry, not now.

The question on the crew is of interest as that ship was not registered in Australia and as such the Australian government has no responsibility for their health and welfare. It would be different for any member of the crew was an Australian citizen.

That ship is registered in Bermuda.

Not to mention the cover-up by the ship's Captain and doctor as to the breadth and severity of existing sickness on board. And this has been brought to light in the still on-going enquiry. Horace is correct, we must wait for the end of the enquiry and the report before whinging about what it may or may not uncover. Commissioner Bret Walker SC has made life very uncomfortable so far for many of the people appearing before him. Let him do his job.

 

Australia is responsible in line with the International Marine Law.

Dept of Hellth should not have allowed the passengers off before testing and putting them into quarantine.

Hi, In my opinion the entire Ruby Princess saga was a complete stuff up.  The Commission of Enquiries terms of reference needs to be as broad as possible; not just as a finger pointing exercise, but to find out where things went wrong and to ensure that that they don't go wrong again.  Although they have haven't they? Jetstar passengers from Melbourne being allowed to leave the terminal without being health checked.

This is not purely a NSW problems.  All agencies Australia wide should be looking at the Ruby Princess and Jetstar issue to make sure it can't happen it their back yard.  

As an ex Merchant Seaman I was appalled at the actions of the Australian authorities in sending a ship to sea with crew members ill from a potentially life threatening illness.  For Authories to trumpet "Send them to sea,"  irrespespective of the type of ship or where it is berthed in Australia is, at least, morally reprehensible.  In today's age we have to ability to care for ship's crews as easily as we do for ship's passengers. If handled correctly it is easy enough to isolate crew members on board their ship and meically treat them as required.  Crew members from at least two 'Covid' ships berthed in Australia lost their lives.

So yes, broaden the terms of reference, let's see exactly what should have happened, from a National and International standpoint, and amend systems as necessary

 

 

 

So what is new, one basic rule of politics is to never have an inquiry unless you already know the results. One way to ensure  the results cause no embarrassment is to limit the terms of reference. This rule is non-partisan, all sides of politics use this methodology.

Of course one must not forget this debarcle

Yes the doctors who should know better just boarded other flights all over the country

Were these doctors charged with breaching public health orders ?

I would suggest NO

Interesting situation is the Commonwealth investigation is being headed by Jane Halton, then Assistant Secretary at Homeland (later Border Farce). She is the one who put her hand up and said 'I mistakenly told PM Howard and Minister Dutton that children were being thrown overboard.'

Jane was severely punished by the Liberal Gov't through promotion to Secretary Dept of Health another $100,000 salary per year.

Cynic that I am I wonder if the report is written now that hearings are starting?

9 comments



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