Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Siewert, I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

on 25 November 2008, the Senate urged the Australian Government to set a timeline for legal proceedings in an international court to stop illegal Japanese whaling if Japan does not commit to stop whaling by 8 December 2008,

(ii)

Japanese whaling operations continued past this deadline, and

(iii)

no such legal action has been undertaken by the Government;

(b)

urges the Government to:

(i)

strongly oppose the proposal in the document, ‘The Future of the IWC’, currently before the International Whaling Commission, which seeks to legitimise Japanese whaling operations, and

(ii)

immediately commence international legal action to stop illegal Japanese whaling; and

(c)

condemns the violent actions of the Japanese whaling fleet, who have reportedly thrown metal balls at environmental activists, and used acoustic weapons to send out painful high frequency sound waves.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—The Australian government’s position on the issue of commercial whaling, including so-called ‘scientific’ whaling, is clear. We remain absolutely opposed to it and have taken unprecedented steps, including through high-level diplomatic engagement and advancing reform proposals through the International Whaling Commission. The document released from the chairs of the International Whaling Commission this week is titled Chairs’ suggestions on the future of the IWC. As the chairs make clear, this document represents their suggestions on how to make progress at the commission. It is not a proposal for action and it does not reflect any agreement between those nations involved in discussions, including Australia.

The Australian government will continue to pursue our objectives diplomatically as we head towards the IWC annual meeting this June. We will continue to review progress, including through the IWC, and maintain the active consideration of potential international legal action. The government calls upon all vessels in the Southern Ocean to exercise restraint and conduct their activities peacefully and responsibly in accordance with the decisions of the International Whaling Commission and relevant domestic and international law.

Question agreed to.