Joanna Gash (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Would the minister inform the House of recent steps the government has taken to strengthen the protection of whales? Are there any alternative approaches?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Minister for Transport and Regional Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Gilmore for her question. She and I, as representatives of electorates which have significant whale-watching industries, are very interested in the preservation of whales and in ensuring their wellbeing. This government has taken a world lead in promoting the conservation of whales. We have been very active in progressing whale conservation domestically and through international fora, particularly the International Whaling Commission. The Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, is currently visiting a range of Pacific nations seeking support for the conservation of whales in the run-up to the next meeting of the IWC, to be held in a couple of weeks time.

There is a very real possibility that pro-whaling nations will have the majority at the upcoming IWC meeting and will seek resolutions to ultimately bring about a return to commercial whaling. We have to take this upcoming round of meetings very seriously. There is a risk that we could slip back on what has been achieved to date. So Senator Campbell’s current mission is a very important one—to seek to shore up support for what has been achieved to date and, hopefully, take the matter further.

The honourable member asked whether there were any alternative policies. In this instance the Labor Party do have some alternative views. They took little interest in whaling when they were in government. In fact, no Labor minister ever bothered to attend the International Whaling Commission meetings. Now their only solution to these problems is to take legal action—or similar responses. I was interested to note, however, that not all—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I take a point of order. As amusing as it is to have a Queensland Nat ask about endangered species—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member will come to his point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would draw the minister back to standing order 104, on relevance.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. The question was phrased in two parts. I believe the minister is in order. I call the minister.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Minister for Transport and Regional Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I am responding to the element of the question that asked about alternative policies. I was referring to the fact that not all members of the Labor parties around the world follow the views of the opposition in relation to the value of legal action to endeavour to prevent the exploitation of whales. Indeed, New Zealand’s delegate to the International Whaling Commission is a former New Zealand Labour Prime Minister, Sir Geoffrey Palmer. He also spent some time on the International Court of Justice. He was quoted recently as saying:

We’ve been looking at the legal theories that are available against the Japanese for some months. There is no legal theory that is available that can prevent, in our view, the Japanese from doing what—  

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I take a point of order. He may not know whether he is a Queensland Nat or a Queensland New Liberal, but we know who we are, Mr Speaker.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member will resume his seat. That is not a point of order.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Minister for Transport and Regional Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is clear that the Labor Party are barren when it comes to dealing with issues such as the conservation of whales. Their only policy has been rebutted conclusively by their colleagues in other parts of the world. It is time they got on and backed Senator Ian Campbell and the Australian government in its actions before the International Whaling Commission to try to preserve and protect this wonderful species.