How the DP World pay dispute at Australia's ports could see prices rise, reigniting inflation

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Workplace Relations Minister has rules out intervening in a pay dispute between Australia’s second largest port operator and the Maritime union. Earlier Tony Burke met both parties and accused DP World of acting in bad faith. The stoush is leading to major delays at ports across the country.

Transcript

00:00 Roger Fletcher runs a business exporting meat, wool and grains across the world.

00:07 If his products get stuck at the docks, he says he'll lose customers.

00:12 If we can't deliver to our customers on time, we're completely buggered.

00:17 Roger and others have been calling on the federal government to step in

00:21 and end a pay dispute between maritime workers and DP World.

00:26 It's led to major disruptions at the ports with a backlog of tens of thousands of containers.

00:33 The Albanese government simply should not allow the union to keep holding the rest of Australia to ransom.

00:39 But Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke, who met with the company, won't intervene.

00:45 I think Australians are sick to death of having highly profitable companies

00:50 say everything is the fault of them having to pay their workforce the same as their competitors.

00:57 Former competition watchdog boss Graham Samuel says companies like DP World

01:02 are charging importers and exporters excessive fees to use the ports.

01:07 Charges should be the subject of a mandatory code of conduct

01:11 which would be dealt with, overseen and enforced by the ACCC.

01:17 Economists worry that the prices of goods imported, like electronics and fresh produce, could also rise.

01:24 If stuff can't make it into the country but people still want to buy it,

01:28 you've got the same number of buyers chasing less stuff,

01:31 that's going to push the price up and that's a problem for inflation.

01:35 Mr Fletcher fears continued delays could mean foreign countries stop buying Australian goods.

01:41 Who I'm sorry for is the trade missions that run around the world trying to get trade,

01:47 Austrade, they must be tearing their hair out.

01:51 DP World says the economic impact warrants intervention,

01:55 but that it will work within the Fair Work Commission process to ensure a resolution.

02:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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