The West Australian government has admitted it does not have a good line of sight on the numbers of passengers and crew still on board the Artania cruise ship, which remains docked in Fremantle.
But the matter of dealing with stranded ships — referred to yesterday by Premier Mark McGowan as one of the "great frustrations" of his life — should not be one for the state, in any case.
The cruise ship Artania is seen docked in Fremantle harbour in Fremantle on Friday, March 27, 2020. Credit:Richard Wainwright/AAP
International cruise ships remaining in Australian waters, and the problems arising from them – particularly during an unprecedented global health emergency, are the responsibility of the federal government.
And while this should categorically make the Artania’s refusal to leave local waters somebody else’s problem, it puts our Premier in an unenviable position.
Every day he has to front the media and explain why a foreign vessel remains tied up at our state’s busiest port.
He’s had to tell West Australians who until today could not be tested for COVID-19 – even if they were symptomatic – why people who chose to keep cruising at a time when all signs pointed to danger ahead could be, and why there are now dozens of passengers and crew from the Artania in our hospitals and hotels.
Finally, on Wednesday, after weeks of what many perceived as inaction from Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton weighed in on the issue and accused cruise ship operators of lying about the number of sick people on board their vessels.
In directing relevant government departments to undertake a full health assessment of anyone remaining on ships in Australian waters, Mr Dutton said he needed to get an “honest picture” of the status quo.
“It’s clear that some of the companies have been lying about the situation of the health of the crew and passengers on board,” he said.
“We may be able to extract the crew and fly them back to their country of origin.”
Now Mr Dutton wants an honest picture?
Now he is suggesting remedies for a situation that has been putting people at risk for weeks?
It’s understandable the federal minister has been busy, and it’s all too easy to take cheap shots at politicians, even at times of much less turmoil, but with all due respect, where has Mr Dutton been while this ship-show was unfolding?
After providing critical state resources for a massive operation that saw more than 800 Artania passengers flown home from Perth airport on the weekend, it was almost unfathomable Mr McGowan had no knowledge of passengers remaining on board the vessel until Tuesday or Wednesday this week.
That the Commonwealth is not keeping the WA government apprised of a situation only growing in urgency is deficient, at best.
Mr McGowan has made mistakes.
On March 23 he ill-advisedly told reporters – who then told everyone else – the cruise ship Magnifica was steaming towards Perth with 250 unwell passengers on board.
This was quickly denied and debunked. No harm done.
But the longer this cruise ship debacle continues, the more it looks like WA really has been handed what Hollywood Private Hospital’s infectious diseases specialist Clay Golledge referred to last week as a “shit sandwich”.
If the Artania really is the responsibility of the federal government, why does it look like our Premier is being hung out to dry?
He's between the devil and the deep blue sea; the ship is not his responsibility, but it's his biggest predicament.
How is it possible that he is briefed daily, but was not aware of any remaining passengers aboard the ship, especially given Artania operators Phoenix Reisen issued a press release on Monday which — had anyone noticed — spelled it out?
Something stinks about the way this fiasco has been managed.
It is understandably a fluid situation, with directions changing by the minute, but somebody must be in charge; somebody has to take control and steady the ship.
Because right now we are foundering, and still – after weeks of anguish, frustration, and legitimate concern – there is no end in sight.
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