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GO OFFSHORE, SAIPEM, AND WOODSIDE A SHAMEFUL DISREGARD FOR AUSTRALIA
The Executive Courage is a vessel that demand- ed an immense level of audacity to even contem- plate working on it. Under these circumstances, its state could have led to a potential environmental catastrophe. Infested with pests, it was deemed unsuitable for operations in Australia. The onboard conditions were beyond tolerable, presenting an af- front to the dignity of every worker involved. The vessel was infested with rats, spiders, and cockroaches. However, the gravest concern lay in the termite infestation, a threat capable of wreak- ing havoc across the entire country. Go Offshore’s blatant disregard for our members’ advice risked unleashing a potential catastrophe by introducing a menacing species of termites known for their de- structive capabilities into our country. The flying termites were drywood termites, clearly not native to Australia. While some may have met their end from birds and other insects preying on them, a considerable number would undoubtedly have survived and established nests on our shores. The ramifications of such an invasion could have in- curred billions of dollars in costs for our country. Despite the warnings from our members, the pest control personnel, ship’s officers, and Go Offshore themselves dismissed them. It wasn’t until a Biose- curity officer conducted a second inspection that the severity of the situation was confirmed. Thanks to the vigilance of our experienced member on- board, Australia was spared from the perilous in- troduction of another pest. Adding to the negligence, they considered using chemicals so potent that they posed a serious threat to the crew’s health, or worse, could have been le- thal. The crew rightfully pushed back, insisting that these hazardous individuals leave the vessel.
The crew received instructions to cut up the in- fested wood and send it ashore, a move that could have resulted in dire consequences for our country. Throughout this ordeal, other departments contin- ued as if our member was needlessly complicating matters. Shockingly, some of the crew even attempt- ed to sabotage the evidence before Biosecurity re- turned by washing away any trace of the termites. Nevertheless, our MUA crew persisted, with our ex- perienced member taking decisive action. They han- dled the situation by cutting up the infested wood, applying chemicals safely, and confronting the ter- mite infestation directly. In gratitude, Biosecurity sent our members some token souvenirs, as if that could compensate for the potential disaster narrowly averted. The situation has escalated, potentially beyond re- covery, as waste, among other items, was irresponsi- bly transferred to the Saipem Endeavour against our members’ explicit objections. If only these termites had consumed the ship they were on, a fate seem- ingly fitting for the subpar vessels frequently oper- ated by GO Offshore, reflecting the company’s own reputation at the industry’s lower end. While OSM may come close, Go Offshore undoubt- edly takes the prize as the most reprehensible em- ployer on our coast. Remember their history of finan- cial mismanagement, when they were on the verge of bankruptcy, leaving their creditors with a measly 4 cents to the dollar. It’s a glaring testament to their corporate negligence and utter disregard for their responsibilities.
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