Fed: Rudd flags possible changes to laws after ship grounding

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2010
Fed: Rudd flags possible changes to laws after ship grounding

BRISBANE, April 6 AAP - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has flagged a review of maritime
laws after a wayward coal carrier leaked oil in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Mr Rudd flew over the stricken ship offshore from Rockhampton on Tuesday and later
said it was outrageous that a ship could be so far off course in a protected area.

He said the ship remained a serious threat to the environment.

"This remains a serious situation. It remains a threat to the Great Barrier Reef,"

he told reporters.

"From where I sit, it is outrageous that any vessel could find itself 12 kilometres
off course, it seems, in the Great Barrier Reef."

He said there were four key priorities to attend to in the wake of the grounding, including
"looking at the laws for the future".

"One, what do we do in terms of containing the oil? Two, what do we do in terms of
the salvage of the vessel and three, what are we doing in terms of the investigation to
get to the bottomline explanation as to what's happened here and why? Four, looking at
the laws for the future as well."

Mr Rudd is due in Cairns on Tuesday afternoon, where he will visit the James Cook University
School of Medicine and Dentistry.

AAP tnf/cdh

KEYWORD: CARRIER RUDD

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