P&O defends reaction to recent ship incidents

**Ally** · 01-09-2008, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Cruise company P&O says recent claims of rape and drink spiking on its cruise ships were immediately reported to police under its new "zero tolerance" policy.

But, despite widespread media attention, Ann Sherry – the chief executive of Carnival Australia which operates P&O – said only a tiny proportion of passengers were involved in inappropriate behaviour.

She yesterday told Macquarie Radio it was an "irony" that P&O was now getting "hammered" for doing what it was previously criticised for failing to do, in response to recent incidents on its cruise ships.

Following the 2002 cruise ship death of Brisbane woman Dianne Brimble, P&O put in place various procedures to deal with possible crimes and inappropriate passenger behaviour.

But it has continued to face controversies, including recent revelations that a Sydney man was accused of raping a New Zealand woman on the Pacific Star cruise ship on December 31.

On December 22, a convicted Australian paedophile aboard the same ship was deported from Vanuatu a day after being taken into custody.

And on Tuesday, Sydney water police boarded the Pacific Dawn when it docked in Sydney to investigate claims of drink spiking in the early hours of New Year's Day.

It also had been revealed a second man with a criminal record was removed from the Pacific Sun cruise ship in Noumea earlier this year.

"Everything that happens on board the ship now that requires any police attention gets it – which means it gets public attention," Ms Sherry said.

Such incidents had probably "gone on for a long time" but P&O had now adopted strict protocols and procedures, having a "zero tolerance" approach.

As soon as the drink spiking claim was made, the company did blood tests on everyone, looked at CCTV, and notified police straight away, Ms Sherry said.

Likewise, as soon as the rape allegation was made, CCTV footage was looked at, the cabin was secured, the woman was taken to the medical facility and the man was interviewed.

Ms Sherry said the company was working with the Australian Federal Police to get a protocol in place to enable child sex offenders to be identified before they boarded.

It was not appropriate for them to be on cruises, particularly when there were many child passengers.

P&O carried more than 200,000 passengers a year, while probably about 10 to 20 were involved in inappropriate behaviour, she said.

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