Maritime Union Demands AI Regulation to Protect Australian Jobs and Supply Chain Sovereignty
On March 23, 2026, amidst a global supply chain crisis and an oil shock, the Maritime Union of Australia called upon the Albanese Government to swiftly regulate AI in strategically significant supply chain sectors, particularly in stevedoring and port services. This demand comes as Dubai Ports is pushing an automation and AI control project across its container terminals in Australia, raising concerns over job security and economic sovereignty.
The Automation Agenda of Dubai Ports
Dubai Ports operates four major terminals in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, effectively controlling half of Australia’s container terminal capacity. The management team, influenced by the disgraced former global CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, is aggressively pursuing an AI and automation agenda which threatens to replace skilled, unionized jobs with driverless vehicles and remote-operated cranes.
Notably, Sultan bin Sulayem’s controversial past, including being named in the Epstein Files, has raised additional scrutiny over the management’s direction and ethics.
Economic Impact of Automation
As the world’s fifth-largest port operator and owned by the Government of Dubai and Gulf royal families, DP World extracts hundreds of millions of dollars annually from Australian businesses while paying minimal taxes. Despite its significant revenues, the company has not paid corporate income tax in Australia for over a decade, relying primarily on the payroll taxes of its workers—estimated at around $70 million in 2025—as its main economic contribution.
Job Security at Risk
The Maritime Union highlights that the proposed automation could threaten up to 1,000 jobs, over 60% of the workforce, contradicting the Australian Government’s National AI Plan, which mandates worker and union consultation prior to implementing such changes. Evidence suggests that the primary motivation behind this push for automation is to cut labor costs and increase profits, rather than enhancing supply chain efficiency.
Call for Regulatory Measures
The Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research (CICTAR) and the Maritime Union are launching a report titled ‘Job Losses and Profit Shifting at DP World: How AI Automation Threatens Australia’s Economic Wellbeing’ at Australian Parliament House today. This report emphasizes the urgent need for regulatory measures to protect Australian jobs and maintain supply chain sovereignty.
Recommendations from the Report
Key recommendations from the report include:
- Enforce strict oversight, transparency, and accountability for AI systems in the workplace.
- Protect worker data and ban invasive surveillance practices.
- Ensure safety, job security, and public benefit are prioritized over corporate profit.
- Guarantee full bargaining rights and protected industrial action when AI or automation is introduced.
- Strengthen tax transparency and crack down on profit shifting and offshore royalty payments.
Statements from the Maritime Union
In a statement, Jake Field, National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia, expressed concerns over the increasing risk of foreign interference in Australia’s port infrastructure. He emphasized that allowing foreign multinationals like DP World to implement AI in essential services poses a significant sovereign risk.
“The automation of our ports by foreign multinationals is brazenly in their self-interest and contrary to Australia’s national security and economic needs,” Field stated. “At a time of significant and disruptive impacts on our supply chain and global uncertainty, this is a risk we cannot tolerate.”
As Australia navigates these complex challenges, the Maritime Union continues to advocate for policies that protect Australian jobs and enhance economic sovereignty in the face of globalization and technological disruption.
