FED: Fed govt involved in conspiracy on asylum seeker issue -MUA
SYDNEY, Feb 12 AAP - The federal government was involved in conspiracy of the worstpossible kind when it intercepted phone calls to the MV Tampa, the maritime union saidtoday.
Transcripts of phone conversations between the International Transport Federation,the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the crew of the Norwegian ship were reportedlyintercepted.
The information was then used by the government to formulate a political response afterthe ship rescued 438 boat people near Christmas Island last year, the Daily Telegraphreported today.
MUA federal national secretary Paddy Crumlin said the action by the federal governmentwas deplorable.
"All of these actions were triggered at a time before the border control legislation,"
he told ABC radio.
"It looks like active conspiracy of the worst possible kind."
The Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) in Western Australia reportedly intercepted thephone calls after the ship was boarded by SAS troops.
DSD is not supposed to pick up and pass Australian calls to the government, exceptin extreme circumstances, one of which is when there is a threat to life and safety ofAustralians.
Mr Crumlin said there was no security issue because the union's conversations werealready on the public record.
"There was nothing other than we have an opinion different than the federal government,"
Mr Crumlin said.
"They didn't want the Maritime Union to spoil their election chances ... it's nothingto do with the law."
Federal Workplace Relations Minister Tony Abbott, said it was reasonable for Australiato spy on the MV Tampa considering there were threats to the captain and, later, therewere Australian troops on board.
He also questioned why the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) was making phone calls to the ship.
"The interesting feature in that report I thought was why was the MUA making phonecalls to that ship?" Mr Abbott told reporters.
"Let's face it, it was a foreign ship crewed by foreign nationals and what was theMUA making phone calls to this ship in the first place? What was the MUA's interest?"
AAP nd/arb/ldj/bwl
KEYWORD: SPY UNION
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