When the luxury cruise ship Amsterdam , above, left, diverted to Townsville instead of calling at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast to avoid rough seas caused by Cyclone Tatiara , it did not tie up at the $85million wharf 10 cruise ship terminal , the Singapore registered stock carrier Diamantina, a fine Aussie outback name , right, was berthed there instead, loading up for Vietnam .
An American freelance travel writer aboard the Amsterdam was reported as saying it was great to make the unexpected visit to Townsville because Mooloolaba was a place no one could pronounce.
As expected , the local media gushed over the Amsterdam 's visit , treating it in the usual cargo cult style ( multiply the number of passengers - 1400 - by an average expenditure of $370 each , lucrative, yippee! ) .
Few cruise ships have called in since the opening of the terminal in 2013 at which the then Defence Minister Senator David Johnson , later torpedoed , said the Quayside upgrade was designed to expand the cruise ship market and the professional capabilities of Defence. No mention made of cattleboats and canoes . Furthermore , it was revealed soon after that Townsville cannot handle bigger P. & O. cruise ships.
On the other hand, 15 live export boats have passed through the Port of Townsville this year up to February 17, close to 300,000 head exported through the port last year, up there with Darwin which shipped 487,000 -140,000 of them trucked across from Queensland - and talk of a record 600,000 this year in the Top End .
As most people know, live export of livestock is a contentious issue across the nation . In Townsville, with 580 unemployed meatworkers, much of the coverage in the Townsville Bulletin tends to be in the form of lengthy letters from people for and against .
Soon after the Amsterdam arrived , another stock carrier , the Philippines registered Sahiwali Express , above , tied up at berth 10 . It used to be named Lis E , listed on the anti live export website with the following masthead ...
It shows a surprising number of vessels involved in the livestock trade have changed names and lists companies and people involved in the business , including sheep exports from a Holmes a Court property in Western Australia.
Incidentally, Townsville's Quayside Terminal is promoted as a new and exciting venue for weddings , conventions , exhibitions , conferences and dinners. A website for making Quayside bookings answers questions any person intent on using the building may ask, such as :"Will any cruise ship be using the Quayside terminal during my event ?"
The reassuring answer says that occasion cannot arise because the terminal is only available for hire when "cruise ships and Defence are not using the venue." Defence ? The last thing you want at a wedding reception ,one would think , is a bunch of thirsty , jolly Jack Tars , Australian and American , tying up and coming aboard to kiss the bride and dance the bridesmaids offa their feet.
However, a signal just received indicates Townsville is to become a busy naval port, the RAN's newest and largest warship, HMAS Adelaide, to make its first visit to the port any day soon, part of an $83million cargo cult plan spread over 30 years !
With increasing numbers of livestock being exported from Townsville and Darwin there are complaints that jobs are being lost , abattoirs are finding it hard to find enough stock to operate , the new Darwin meatworks placed under pressure . There is talk of a possible new Chinese abattoir opening at Hughenden sending direct to China through Townsville. Meat processed in Townsville is trucked to Brisbane and also shipped to Asian markets through Townsville .
The Australian Meat Industry Employees Union has expressed concern about the live export trade , saying the Townsville abattoir at Stuart had not yet been able to open in 2016. The union discussed the situation in Brisbane with the Employment Minister Grace Grace and the three Townsville state Labor members of parliament; there has been a call for a cap on live exports from North Australia .
Due to so much livestock being exported overseas , the price of meat has jumped in shops and today on an ABC rural report Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce came in for criticism over the situation . There is a growing feeling that Australia's food security and jobs are being jeopardised as overseas countries rush to shore up their supplies with live imports from Australia , while also buying up pastoral and agricultural properties .
Due to so much livestock being exported overseas , the price of meat has jumped in shops and today on an ABC rural report Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce came in for criticism over the situation . There is a growing feeling that Australia's food security and jobs are being jeopardised as overseas countries rush to shore up their supplies with live imports from Australia , while also buying up pastoral and agricultural properties .
