|
|
|
|
Much has been written about the mental health impacts of COVID lockdowns. Some thousands of Australians even rallied on the weekend to protest their loss of freedoms.
So let’s spare a thought for the hundreds of thousands of seafarers who since March have been trapped on cargo ships, forced to work long past the end of contracts meant to be capped at 11 months by international maritime law, due to border closures and international travel restrictions.
Some have been at sea for more than 18 months. On most recent estimates (from September) 400,000 face spending an unplanned Christmas at sea, far from family and friends. The situation has rightly been described as a “humanitarian crisis” and “a modern form of forced labour”.
Today University of Melbourne’s Christiaan De Beukelaer writes about their plight, drawing on his own experience of a three-week research voyage in March turning into a five-month odyssey.
But, as he notes, he had confidence his ordeal would end. “This is something most seafarers do not have. For many, there is still no light at the end of the tunnel.”
|
Tim Wallace
Deputy Editor: Business + Economy
|
|
|
Salvatore Cavalli/AP
Christiaan De Beukelaer, University of Melbourne
In early 2020, stranded cruise ships became a stark symbol of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Now it's seafarers stranded on cargo ships.
|
DAVE HUNT/AAP
Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The government is set to rush through parliament this week its legislation enabling parts of the militant CFMMEU to break away.
|
Wolfilser/Shutterstock
Steven Hail
The Commonwealth can never become insolvent. It ought to help out the states.
|
Chris Wallace, University of Canberra
Right now, Labor's marginal seat holders are talking about JobSeeker. Privately, many are wondering if next year they'll be on it.
|
Shutterstock
Lauren Ball, Griffith University
Here’s what you need to know about COVID-19 clearances before travelling.
|
Nancy Bird Walton preparing to fly a female Santa into north-west New South Wales in 1935.
©Royal Far West
Marguerite Johnson, University of Newcastle
In Australia, between 1930 and 1950, women repeatedly stepped in to play the role of Santa. So the figure in the red suit could be gender neutral today.
|
Cities
|
-
Phillip Wadds, UNSW; Anthony Shakeshaft, UNSW; Christopher Doran, University of Newcastle
Amid the controversy over Sydney's lockout laws, a program that looked out for people at risk of harm in the city's nightlife precincts more than proved its worth.
|
|
Arts + Culture
|
-
Vanessa Rohlf, La Trobe University
It's 80 years since we were first introduced to Lassie. But the human bond with dogs goes back way further.
|
|
Politics + Society
|
-
Rick Sarre, University of South Australia
A Victorian government proposal to build a clinical information system for every Victorian, with no opt-out, has merits, but the many risks to privacy must be addressed.
|
|
Health + Medicine
|
-
Claire Breen, University of Waikato
Vaccine hesitancy is not new, but it has a new element: few people can remember the devastating impact of diseases such as smallpox and polio and it is hard to see the lives saved by vaccination.
|
|
| |
Featured jobs
|
|
|
|
— Melbourne VIC, Australia
|
|
— Melbourne VIC, Australia
|
|
— Townsville City, QLD, Australia
|
|
|
|
Featured Events & Courses
|
|
8 week online course by BehaviourWorks Australia, Victoria, Australia — Monash University
|
|
|
Online, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia — Monash University
|
|
Online, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia — University of Sydney
|
|
|
Online, Online, Victoria, 3145, Australia — Monash University
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
