Navy could be used against Japanese whalers: Rudd (announcement next week)

[Barrett808]

Source: Macquarie National News

Navy could be used against Japanese whalers: Rudd
Stephen Spencer

The Navy could be used against Japanese whalers, with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd vowing to use all Australian assets to help end whaling - Stephen Spencer is traveling with Mr Rudd in Bali.

Rudd promised before the election he would use the navy to help end whaling, and with Japanese fleets again heading towards Australian waters, the PM said he is not backing away from his pledge of protection.

The Navy would not be used to attack the whalers, but to monitor the fleet and collect evidence for a possible international legal action against Japan.

Mr Rudd said he takes very seriously Australia’s international obligation to protect whales in the southern ocean.

Aussie navy may track Japanese whalers

Australian navy vessels could be deployed to track Japanese whalers as early as next week to gather evidence for a possible international legal battle.

Labor raised the idea of using the navy to search for evidence of illegal whaling in Australian waters before last month's election.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Thursday said he would make an announcement next week on what action the government will take as the whaling season gets underway.

"We take seriously Australia's international obligations on the proper protection of whales," Mr Rudd told reporters.

"We have said in the past that we would look at measures which would fortify any future case to be brought before international legal tribunals on the implementation of Japan's whaling policy, in particular Japan's assertion that these are for research purposes and not for commercial purposes.

"And we are therefore actively considering the appropriate measures for the collection of data which could assist in any future legal case which the government may embark upon. On those matters we'll have further to say during next week."

(more)

http://news.smh.com.au/aussie-navy-may-track-japanese-whalers/20071213-1gvy.html

Read more: http://livenews.com.au/Articles/2007/12/13/Navy_could_be_used_against_Japanese_whalers_Rudd

[Algorem]

1. Legal action? Serve each ship a TNTsubpoena.

they can plead their case to the octopi

[nachoproblem]

2. Japanese whaling is so bizarre

I read somewhere that the main demand for it is a legislation, backed by some weird conservative group group, to require that Japanese children have whale meat in their school lunches in order to preserve the tradition of eating whale meat. Which the children hate... in fact, everybody hates. It's like their fruitcake. Only for some reason, their fruitcakes have to be giant majestic creatures that roam the depths invoking the inscrutability of nature with their mysterious song.

So yeah, a TNT injunction might not be inappropriate. The whole thing is crazy.

[ClintonTyree]

7. That's correct....

in fact, they have freezers full of previous "harvests" that they can't GIVE away. No one wants the whale meat, but the Japanese government wants to preserve what they consider part of their culture. Of course there's the Japanese whaling/fishing industry that's putting considerable financial and political pressure on the government to continue these practices, as if whalers couldn't be retrained for other employment opportunities.

Tradition used to be everything in Japanese society, but things are changing. The young people want progress, not to be shackled by the chains of history. Too bad the government isn't changing along with the times. Too bad for the whales and the oceans' other fisheries, that is.

[Judi Lynn]

3. He seems to regard his job with a lot more seriousness and respect than the last one. n/t

[Josh]

6. I love my PM!

Go Rudd! And boy did he hit the ground running! It's been just wonderful to read "PM this" and "PM that" in the paper - I catch myself, ready to think, "What's Howard done this time?!" and then I remember we booted him -- from power and from his own seat! -- at the election. :)

[and-justice-for-all]

4. That rocks! Whaling is after all illegal...

yet Japan and Korea continue to defy the law.

I hope they sink every fuckin' one of'em!

[saigon68]

5. It could be the "Battle of Midway" all over again

[lynnertic]

9. Tell me more about Korean whaling please

I haven't heard...

thanks...

[and-justice-for-all]

10. Korea has this policy about Whaling...

If a fiching vessel 'accidental' snares a Whale, like a menki whale, they can sell the meat legally if they tell the Government at the bycatch.

Whaling was put to a ban in 1986 by the International Whaling Commission, which countries like Japan and South Korea contiue to defy. One Whale can bring in $100,000 at market. This illegal activity takes place in the Sea Of Japan(East Sea). The ban, however allows 'Scientific Whaling' (completly unnecassary practice for research)where the meat ends up on the markets. This loophole needs to be tied off.

[Thothmes]

8. Go Aussies

I wonder if RAN ships could use very low sonar power settings to herd whales away from the Japanese whale hunters.

[zonkers]

11. Good on em.

[burrowowl]

12. Go Rudd!