Foreign fishing crews are a modern form of colonisation

CTU Vice President Maori Syd Keepa has today labelled New Zealand fishing quota holders as perpetrating a modern form of colonisation in their use of foreign fishing crews to fish NZ waters.

"Foreign fishing crews are a modern example of colonisation - quota holders may not be going into foreign territories, but the exploitation, abuse, and disregard for fishing crews human rights have all the hall marks of traditional colonisation and shouldn't be happening."

Speaking to the CTU Biennial Conference, Syd Keepa said "we have quota holders who are exploiting foreign workers. And this in a time of persistently high unemployment in New Zealand, especially among our young Maori. Quota holders should be looking to build a fishing industry in New Zealand that supports skill development and job creation for New Zealand crews rather than exploiting foreign crews."

Syd Keepa says "I call on quota holders to meet with Te Runanga o Nga Kaimahi Maori (Maori arm of the union movement) to discuss an alternative model of using fishing quota".

ENDS

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