The real Tampa comes to Melbourne
17 May 2002

One year after the Howard government's shameful handling of the Tampa and its cargo of 430+ rescuees, the Tampa is back in Melbourne on routine business. However, the Howard government, still in power and clearly still smarting from the massive public outrage, would not let the ship come into the part of the dock which is easily accessible by huge crowds of refugee activists. Spite would have been the government's main reason. Therefore the Tampa was forced to dock in an area which was accessible only by boat.

Undaunted, Sigrid Borg hired the tug The Wattle, and as many as possible got in and sailed across the bay to greet our heroes on the Tampa. Unfortunately, the night before, Sigrid became unwell and couldn't come with us.

"Age" journalist Farah Farouque came with us, and wrote a very good piece about the event, "Tampa skipper rides a wave of hero worship". It would be good to get hold of a copy of that article.

I wasn't fully used to my digital camera at that stage, and the resolution on these pics is really not very good. If you came with us that day, and you have some better pictures, could you please share them with us? Send them to refugeeaction@hotmail.com