Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that Australia's legal action against Japanese whaling will begin in the International Court of Justice, The Hague, on 26 June 2013, and will be followed closely by all Australians who have expressed significant concern about the annual slaughter of whales in Antarctic waters; and

(b) urges the Government to outline how a positive result for Australia in this court case will be enforced by Australia and what financial provisions have been made to resource the enforcement efforts.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—While the government agrees with part (a) of this motion, it is unable to support part (b). Should Australia be successful in its action against Japan in the International Court of Justice, Japan would be bound to comply with the judgement of the court by order 94 of the United Nations charter. Although Australia is disputing the legality of Japan's so-called scientific whaling practices, under the terms of the International Convention for the Regulation Of Whaling, Japan is a responsible member of the international community and has acceded to the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.

Question agreed to.