The national maritime safety regulator is investigating a luxury cruise line following allegations workers are being forced to live in overcrowded conditions below deck with no safe free drinking water, earning as little as $2.50 an hour.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) said it received reports from a whistleblower working onboard the Carnival Encounter cruise ship currently docked in Darwin, prompting investigators from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) to board the ship on Monday morning.
In a statement, the AMSA confirmed it was looking into claims related to workers' welfare onboard the ship.
MUA Sydney branch organiser Shane Reside said over the past six months, the union had received hundreds of complaints about the international cruise line from workers, describing "horrifying" conditions, including galley stewards working in the kitchen being paid as little as $2.50 an hour.
"They're paid as little as $600 a month and sometimes required to work in excess of 10 hours a day for in excess of 30 consecutive days," he said.
"I don't think that any holiday is worth workers facing the kinds of exploitation that we've seen on these vessels."
Mr Reside said he attempted to board the vessel in Sydney in December to investigate the allegations, but was refused access.
He said the whistleblower, who asked to remain anonymous as they feared losing their job, also reported workers were being made to live in very crowded living conditions, leading to the fast...
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