HMAS Maitland Getting Freedom of Entry for First time in 11 Years

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Maitland is taking a leap into medieval times tomorrow with officers and sailors from HMAS Maitland exercising their Freedom of Entry to the city.

The tradition goes back to when armed bodies were rarely allowed into cities except in special cases when the landowning nobles would grant them entry.

Granting armed bodies entry then signified a friendship between the two and the expectation the armed group would assist in the defence of the city should the situation arise.

"For a unit to conduct a freedom of entry we have the permission from the city to march through the town with bands playing and weapons drawn. And this is a symbolic evolution that we conduct to reaffirm our commitment not only to Australia but to our namesake city," said Commanding Officer Lieutenant Jonathon Little.

The crew of the HMAS Maitland with their Commanding Officer will be met by The Local Commanding Officer of Police on the corner of Bourke and High Street tomorrow at 10am. They'll then march, under police escort, to Maitland Town Hall.

HMAS Maitland Image navy.gov.au

"The last time we were able to conduct a freedom of entry was 11 years ago. They don't come around too often but that's a testament to the government of Australia's commitment to the protection of our borders," said Lieutenant Little. 

The HMAS Maitland is 50 metres in length with a crew complement of 21 people.  

Lieutenant Litlle says the namesake ship is a small, but pivotal part of the Navy.

"We're used in a variety of missions or roles from maritime to protect our sovereign borders, fisheries, and then any other operation which the Australian Government might require is to conduct."

HMAS Maitland is currently docked in Carrington and will be having an open day on Sunday before they leave.

Flag of Convenience threatens national security

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The murder of two sailors on board the Sage Sagittarius on its way to Newcastle in 2012 sparked a senate inquiry into the Flag of Convenience (FOC) shipping company and now it's been found to be posing a huge threat to our national security.

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITWF) is calling on the government to step in and stop using FOC in Australia after the inquiry also found murder, gun-running, slave labour and harassment are just some of the things which happen on board. The inquiry found the Captain of the Sage Sagittarius was doing just that, ruling his ship with intimidation, but nothing was done.

The findings come one day after the Government announced they would create a Ministry of Home Affairs, but the ITWF National Coordinator Dean Summers doesn't think it will make a difference to the national security threats posed by FOC.

Sage Sagittarius Image wikipedia

"The Australian government doesn't seem too concerned about the security vulnerabilities in the shipping sector. If the same things were even suggested in the aviation sector or anywhere else, you'd have the whole intelligence organisation in Australia focusing on it,"

Dean Summers also says our national security is simply becoming vulnerable under the FOC shipping company. The organisation is accusing the Turnbull Government of replacing Australian seafarers with the lawlessness of FOC sailors probably because they're cheaper.

"Our national security have vulnerabilities when replacing Australians with Flag of Convenience. Even our Australian  Border Force (ABF) has stated very very clearly Flags of Convenience offer Terrorist organisations and organised crime groups the capacity to operate within Australia and around Australia," said Dean Summers.

The committee at the inquiry also made mention they were very concerned that FOC vessels were carrying dangerous goods around Australia's coast, "including ammonium nitrate and petroleum products. Last financial year, only 1,072 of the 15,715 commercial vessels arriving in Australia were searched by ABF".

The committee has made several recommendations in a bid to stop the use of the FOC shipping company.

UPDATED: Forgacs site getting a breath of new life

BY JESSICA ROUSE and DANIELLE RIES

The former Forgacs slipway at Carrington will be given a new lease of life repairing ships with French company Thales announcing their plans to join with the state government and take over the site.

The Hunter Business Chamber has today welcomed this announcement from the Deputy Premier John Barilaro as the developments planned will revitalise the region's key maritime hub.

Around 70 new jobs will be created with the company working in collaboration with the state government to invest $6 million into the rundown facility.

Initially, Thales say they'll be working on commercial ship repair and support, but the company might be looking for lucrative Navy contracts in the future.

Hunter Business Chamber CEO Bob Hawes says its great to see these facilities up and running in Newcastle again.

"The reinstatement of the former facility that ways there, which whilst it had a ship building capacity, we understand Thales intention is to use it for maintenance, but that is a big step given that we haven't had that opportunity or that operate within the port of Newcastle, now for a period of two years or more so it's fantastic to see it comeback".

He also says he's hopeful this project stays a local project.

"The investment that goes into this and this is certainly a good example of where the government has committed some funds and been able to leverage further input or further expenditure from the private to get it up and going.

"And we are really hopeful this can be very much a local production as it were, and re-engage a lot of the businesses around the Port."

Image ABC Newcastle Facebook page