Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That was a very skibidi speech, Senator Payman.

Around the world, for far too long, environmentalists have been persecuted, assaulted and, in some cases, tragically, murdered just for defending nature. In recent times we've seen governments of both political stripes in this country and around the world enact draconian anti-protest legislation and arrest and jail people who are defending nature and demanding climate action.

One recent example is the arrest of Captain Paul Watson in Greenland about six weeks ago at the request of the government of Japan. That request is nothing more than a politically motivated attempt to punish Captain Watson for his decades-long defence of whales, his decades-long defence of ocean ecosystems and his defiance of illegal whaling, in particular by Japan in the Southern Ocean. If extradited, Captain Watson faces up to 15 years in a Japanese prison. That is simply unacceptable.

The Danish government should immediately drop proceedings against Captain Watson, refuse to extradite him to Japan and free him immediately. The Australian government should use all diplomatic influence and channels it has at its disposal to try and deliver that outcome. Every member of this parliament has received a request from the Captain Paul Watson Foundation to sign a letter to the Danish Prime Minister calling for Captain Watson's release. All Greens members have done that, and I encourage everyone to do that. Captain Paul Watson is an environmental hero. He should be celebrated not persecuted, and his actions should be applauded rather than having landed him in prison. Free Paul Watson now!