Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

I will begin again, Mr Speaker. I note a report overnight from the Asahi newspaper in Japan that the Japanese government’s whaling program will make its first-ever whaling target reduction—a reduction of 20 per cent in the upcoming season, to 750 whales—while the program’s overall target will be reduced by approximately 10 per cent. Whilst this is at present an unconfirmed report, if accurate it would represent the first time since Japan’s scientific whaling commenced in 1987 that the actual target has been reduced. In fact, since 1987 the target has only increased, including more than doubling between 2004-05 and 2005-06.

I also emphasise that, while any reduction would be welcome—it would be an encouraging sign—given that it has not happened before, the government’s objective remains bringing an end to all commercial whaling, including whaling in the name of science. That is the objective we will continue to pursue, intensifying and stepping up our efforts including through the Prime Minister and senior ministers, through the special envoy on whale conservation, through our reform agenda at the International Whaling Commission and through the active consideration of options for international legal action.

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