Cape York Weekly FREE – #030 | Monday, April 19, 2021
Editor: Matt Nicholls 0477 450 558 | editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au
This is why we
Weipa
& the Cape
This picture sums up why we love this place. Three mates spending their school holidays fishing at the Evans Landing jetty without a care in the world. No need for parents to be worried, no need to buy dinner that night. Cape York Weekly snapped this photo of Levi Jenkins, Jordan Price and Aiden Clegg just as the Royal Australian Navy docked at the wharf with Cape Fourcroy last week. More school holiday fun – Pages 10 & 11
WTA chair concerned for welfare of crew
Bring them ashore By MATT NICHOLLS
WEIPA Town Authority chairman Michael Rowland says officials must move quickly to bring the 20 men stranded on a cargo vessel to Weipa and take care of them here. Another crew member left the ship last week, taking the number to 20 on board, from 22 originally.
Movers 3 has been anchored off the Port of Weipa for seven weeks and needs major repairs for it to be seaworthy. Mr Rowland said it was now a humanitarian issue and urged the relevant authorities to intervene. “I think anybody in Weipa who understands the situation would be horrified,” he said.
“It’s totally unacceptable. The weather is still very warm at the moment; I wouldn’t want to be stuck in the Gulf on a boat.” The WTA chairman said with just 20 crew members left on board, authorities could bring them to Weipa and keep them at RAAF Base Scherger. “It’s a clear humanitarian con-
cern. They signed up to a job and through no fault of their own are now left stuck at sea,” he said. “I would expect whoever is in charge to move a lot faster.” Mr Rowland said the government should hire a company to take care of the vessel while it was held in detention to ensure that it didn’t pose a danger.
RETURNS TO THE ALBY THIS WEDNESDAY FROM 7.30PM
“Bring the crew members here, process them and look to send them back home if you can. In the meantime, send someone out to look after the ship,” he said. “That’s what has happened in the past with illegal fishing boats in the Gulf. But you shouldn’t leave them out there.” Continued – Page 2