AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29909, 24 August 1962, Page 14

AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING

Minister On Own Line

Press Assn.— Copyright) CANBERRA. August 22

Establishment of an Australian shipping line could have a “disastrous outcome.” the Minister for Trade (Mr McEwen) told the House of Representatives today. He was replying to a question by an Opposition member, Mr V. D. Kearney, who asked if the mercantile fleets of the Common Market “Six” ivould become “Common Market” ships under one flag As such they could impose crippling freight charges to protect their interests, Mr Kearney said. He asked if Australia could develop its own mercantile fleet.

Mr McEwen said the question of Australia's own line was a “good one.’’ “But the most disastrous outcome would be for it to prove that it cost more to ship on the Australian line than on other services. I can’t thing of anything more devastating—it would really strip you naked.” Mr McEwen said it was probably correct to assume that the Common Market countries would form their own shipping line, as they were able to do this. But there already existed scales of freight charges among the countries, in spite of a few “breakaway” lines which registered their ships in Panama or other countries.