An investigation into the fatal voyage of an Immigration Department boat in the Torres Strait has found the skipper had never been trained adequately to use equipment that might have saved him and his passengers.

ABC1's Four Corners program has asked why an experienced patrol officer was told to put to sea in gale force winds, in a boat not built to deal with the conditions.

Since that tragic day in 2005, the people of the Torres Strait have been asking how the deaths were allowed to occur and why has nobody been held to account.

"People should be fried over this," said Badu islander Laurie Nona.

"It looks like we're from out here on the island, people lost their lives. Who gives a damn down there?"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/06/29/2610818.htm

Anyone who saw this 4 corners presentation must be asking why can this happen with so little outrage. People Died. People sending distess signals in the open sea were ignored. Traditional sea people outstanding and incomparable knowledge ignored.

If this had been an asylum boat all hell would break loose. This was an Australian government vessel sent to it's grave with Australians aboard due to neglect and simply not caring. Was it because these Australians were Torres Strait Islanders?

Perhaps due to the wonderful program by 4 corners this case in now before the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

Do we need 4 corners for real justice in this country?

So tell the Torres Strait, who does give a damn down there?

Missus,
It does make you wonder how a skipper can report an official vessel leaking a few days earlier & then take unofficial women & kids aboard.

Unofficial passengers is really not the point due to lack of services and being accepted as a norm. Even illegals crossing the border up there are the norm with no outrage despite health risks. PNG is like a swim away and where better to get some health treatment? It is not a normal part of the Australia. When they sent distess signal nobody got worried about it, why? Oh well! Really worrying attitude.

Dear TM,

There's certainly a litany of errors:

1) Why was a patrol officer told to put to
sea in gale force winds in a boat not built to
deal with those conditions. A boat that was
taking in water while docked, and a boat that
had no sea-worthiness certification for use on
the open sea.

2) Why wasn't the skipper trained adequately
to use equipment that might have saved him and
his passengers. Why was there no 2 way-radio on
board or appropriate maps.

3) Why weren't the supposedly water-tight
compartments properly sealed.

4) Why wasn't the boat fitted out with up-to-date
equipment.

5) Why didn't key personal in the Queensland Public
Service and the nationally co-ordinated rescue service
AUSSAR take the Malu Sara's distress calls seriously.

6) Why has - Queensland's Crime
and Misconduct Commission (as of 14th Jan 2010) still
not started any investigatory procedures into this
case.

Well might we ask - is it because this deals with
indigenous people?

The facts look damaging.
What's going to be done regarding compensation for
the families - and to ensure that this doesn't
ever happen again?

There's got to be more to it than that. To much emphasis put on a leaking boat. There hasn't been a boat built that doesn't leak from day one. That what bilges are for.

The actual building of the boat was a big part of the story, huge part. Like who is the cheapest, do not care if it is actually seaworthy! Only for up there afterall sort of attitude. It is extreme view but certainly would like that claim investigated. The boat builders on TI, (if I recall correctly) said no way would they ever sell a boat of such low standard. They were not Torres Strait Islander so business may give bias opinion, but they seemed to really love the people and have passion for their craft. Still have misled by Tv before but enough I feel for a call for full transparency.

It was a heart breaking story, I wish they would re-run though and this time all of Australia watch it.

Coroner Barnes found that Sgt Flegg, when told that the Malu Sara was sinking, did not relay this information to Australian Search and Rescue or the Voluntary Marine Rescue at the time and later had “trivialised the predicament which had been reported to him.”
He also found that Sgt Flegg should not have conducted the police investigation shortly after the vessel disappeared as he had a ‘potential conflict of interest’ in the outcome and that this task should have been performed by an independent officer.
The Coroner recommended disciplinary action be taken against Sgt Flegg and Garry Chaston, the manager of the Immigration Department’s Thursday Island office.
http://www.torresnews.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1145

“The fact that Flegg is still working and was allowed to return to Thursday Island to work after the findings were handed down has been a big kick in the guts for the family.
“Why was he allowed to return to T.I.? Why wasn’t he stood down?” said Ms Shibasaki. “Can we conclude that, if you’re a police officer, it’s okay to be responsible for the loss of five lives, but it’s not okay to drink drive?
“We thought the Coroner’s findings would bring some justice and peace to the family, but there is injustice and many questions remaining,” she said.
Ms Shibasaki’s questions come after a Cairns police officer was stood down after being charged with drink-driving twice in one night, while Sergeant Flegg, a senior water police officer on TI, criticised by Coroner Michael Barnes for his handling of the Malu Sara search and rescue, has been transferred to Cairns.

________________________________

On the Tv report he was portrayed as not being too worried when informed the vessel was sinking,she'll be right sort of attitude. Awful. Awful.

Kept his job of curse, works for the government.

I talked to a chap who saw the skipper the day he took that vessel out & from reading between the lines we still haven't been told the facts.

Unofficial passengers is really not the point due to lack of services and being accepted as a norm.
TM,
I don't understand what you mean by lack of services.