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Source: ONE News -
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A ministerial inquiry into New Zealand's troubled fishing industry is to examine whether alleged human rights abuses of Asian crews aboard foreign fishing boats are damaging the country's international reputation and threatening trading relationships.
Minister of Fisheries Phil Heatley and Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson ordered the inquiry following Fairfax Media revelations this year of virtual slave-like labour conditions inflicted on around 2000 mainly Asian men working 27 foreign charter vessels (FCVs), most of them aging Korean boats fishing Maori quota.
In a statement, the two ministers said the inquiry will look at the application of the labour, immigration, maritime safety and fisheries laws around the use and operation of fishing vessels, particularly FCVs.
The terms of reference also call for the inquiry to inquiry into "any international reputation risks associated with the use of FCVs (and) any trade access risks associated with the use of FCVs".
The other terms call for a study on the economic factors behind FCVs and whether they deliver the "greatest overall benefit to New Zealand's economy and to quota owners".
They are also charged with finding whether "acceptable and equitable labour standards including safe working environments" are, or can be, applied on all fishing vessels operating in New Zealand's fisheries.
Heatley said the terms were deliberately broad in scope.
"We must ensure the use of all fishing vessels operating in EEZ [exclusive economic zone] waters supports government objectives. This includes protecting New Zealand's international reputation as a world-leading fisheries manager," says Heatley.
A previous Labour government Labour Minister, Paul Swain, will chair the panel.
Current Broadcasting Commission chair Neil Walter - who was also Administrator of Tokelau - will be on the panel with a director of accounting firm KPMG, Sarah McGrath.
The document setting up the inquiry said it will look at individual examples and situations of FCVs, but says "it is not the purpose of this inquiry to investigate any particular situation or incident.
"If the inquiry obtains specific information it believes should be investigated by a relevant authority it will be forwarded to the relevant authority for its consideration."
The inquiry is ordered to "proceed as it thinks fit to obtain relevant information, including expert services, to assist it to examine issues covered by the inquiry".
The panel has to produce a report by February 24.
Earlier this month a University of Auckland Business School
study found disturbing levels of inhumane conditions and abuse on
FCVs.
Senior lecturer Dr Christina Stringer, PhD candidate Glenn Simmons
and fisheries consultant and former skipper Daren Coulston
interviewed crews and families in two Asian countries and obtained
dozens of files using the Official Information Act to expose the
operations.
They also obtained contracts, false time sheets, bank statements
and bonus sheets showing that New Zealand officials were routinely
and systematically lied to over wages and conditions.
They found FCVs engaged in illegal dumping and high grading -
throwing quota and by-catch fish overboard in the hope of getting
higher value commercial catches later.
The report titled Not in New Zealand's waters, surely? focused on the operations of Sajo Oyang Corporation of Korea which last year had six men killed when the 30 year old FCV Oyang 70 sank off the Otago coast.
Crew from a replacement crew Oyang 75, have walked off the ship in Lyttelton objecting to poor wages and abuse.
Sajo Oyang Corporation spokesman Glenn Inwood has yet to react to the university study, but following a Sunday Star-Times preview called the study "ludicrous and bizarre".
The university report includes statements from sailors and witnesses.
"Officers are vicious bastards ... factory manager just rapped this 12 kg stainless steel pan over his head, splits the top of his head, blood pissing out everywhere...," one informant told the university.
"I told the Master can't leave him cause he's bleeding all over the squid. He said 'oh no no he's Indonesian no touchy no touchy'... Took him to the bridge and third mate said 'Indonesian no stitchy no stitchy'. I ended up giving over 26 stitches ... bit of a mess."
Unions back inquiry
The Council of Trade Unions says the Fishing Inquiry has to make a real difference to the lives of workers on foreign chartered vessels and to help create job opportunities for Kiwi workers.
CTU Secretary Peter Conway said unions have been at the forefront of a campaign to expose "the shocking treatment of workers on these fishing ships" and welcome the formal announcement of the Inquiry.
"The Inquiry however needs to ensure that it considers how land-based processing can provide jobs with decent conditions and also add value to fish exports.
"With so many Kiwis out of work, we have to develop this industry in a way that provides sustainable employment."
New Zealanders have been shocked by the terrible working conditions on ships such as the Shin Ji, Oyang 70 and Oyang 75, he said, adding that the union movement will actively participate in the Inquiry.
The Service and Food Workers Union, representing 2,000 land-based seafood workers also says the inquiry must include an extensive investigation into New Zealand job losses and strategies for restoring jobs to the industry.
Spokesperson Neville Donaldson said the terms of reference announced today included an imperative to fulfil the Government objectives to "maximise the economic return to New Zealand from our fishing resources".
"Put simply, that means exercising political grunt to do what is takes to put career paths for Kiwis back into the land-based fishing industry, allowing it to focus on the high-value product that provides a far greater return on the valuable resource owned by New Zealanders," he said.
Maritime Union of New Zealand General Secretary Joe Fleetwood says the Government's objectives sound good on paper, but the union wants real answers.
"Enforceable rules and regulations for labour standards, and the need for New Zealand to benefit from our own resources, including jobs, are the big issues. This inquiry will need to shine a light into dark places," he said.
Interview Indonesian seamen
Green Party industrial relations spokesperson Keith Locke says the inquiry panel needs to interview in person the Indonesian seamen who recently walked off the Korean charter boats, the Oyang 75 and Shin Ji.
"These seamen are still in the country and have critical first-hand evidence of shocking conditions and underpayment," Locke said.
"It would be unfortunate if this evidence was lost because they were not interviewed before they left the country. Such evidence will be harder to get from seamen still working on the charters, because most will be too scared to talk for fear of punishment."
Locke said many of the Oyang 75 and Shin Yi crew would be willing to stay in New Zealand longer to accommodate the panel's work, because they are also seeking the back pay they are owed, and the removal of any penalties for leaving the ship, before they leave the country.
Immigration and social welfare authorities should accommodate
them staying longer than they otherwise would, he said.
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