The Australian government has extended an exemption allowing cruise ship operators to remain outside certain national labour requirements until 2028, while introducing new conditions intended to strengthen protections for crew members. The changes represent the first additional requirements attached to the exemption since it was introduced in 1998.
Under the existing arrangement, cruise operators can follow the provisions of the international Maritime Labour Convention rather than apply Australian labour standards. The government has now introduced additional obligations concerning collective bargaining rights and the reporting of crew complaints.
Under the new requirements, cruise ship operators must not restrict employees’ right to collective bargaining. In addition, all crew complaints relating to the Maritime Labour Convention must be submitted to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). The government expects the reporting requirement to provide the regulator with a more comprehensive overview of complaints concerning working conditions and how they are addressed.
Transport Minister Catherine King said the measures were intended to improve crew protections while supporting Australia’s maritime industry. She had previously described allegations made by crew members working aboard some CCL-Carnival vessels as serious.
The extension has drawn criticism from the Maritime Union of Australia. Its national secretary, Jake Field, argued that the exemption should never have been introduced and called for a government investigation into employment practices across the cruise industry. The union has warned that extending the arrangement could perpetuate the exploitation of foreign seafarers.
In August, ABC News reported allegations by Carnival crew members concerning working conditions aboard the company’s vessels. Workers claimed they were required to work 12-hour shifts 7 days a week, received inadequate medical care, lacked access to safe drinking water and were paid less than US$3 per hour.
Carnival rejected the allegations, stating that its ships comply with international standards. The company also reported that AMSA had conducted unannounced inspections of three of its vessels in Australia and had identified no violations.
Carnival operates three ships in the Australian market: Adventure, Encounter and Splendor. Each employs ~1,000 crew members, primarily from Southeast Asian and African countries.
The Australian government has indicated that the latest extension will be the final one under the existing arrangement. A review of the relevant legislation is also under consideration, although its findings have not yet been made public.