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 Senator the Hon Robert Hill Leader
of
the Government in the Senate
Minister for
the Environment and Heritage
2 December 1999
AUSTRALIA RENEWS OPPOSITION TO WHALE KILL
The Federal Government has condemned Japan's
decision to
continue its so-called scientific whaling program in the Southern
Ocean.
Environment Minister Robert Hill says Australia will
step
up its opposition to whaling in the lead-up to the International
Whaling Commission meeting to be held in Adelaide in mid-2000.
"Australia and Japan have cooperated for many
years
on a range of environmental programs, such as the conservation of
migratory shorebirds, but whale protection is one issue on which
the two countries appear to hold different views," Senator
Hill said.
"Japanese vessels are moving into the Southern
Ocean
to commence another whale kill, despite strong international
support for the protection of whales in the Southern Ocean
Sanctuary.
"The Australian Government remains totally
opposed
to lethal scientific whaling and we will continue to promote
increased protection for whales ahead of the 52nd annual meeting
of the international Whaling Commission, to be held in Adelaide
next year," he said.
"An Australian resolution urging Japan to refrain from
issuing special
permits for scientific whaling was carried by a large majority at
an International Whaling Commission meeting held in Grenada
earlier this year."
"The scale and nature of the scientific whaling program
carried
out under permits issued by the Government of Japan, including a
clause allowing whales to be processed, undermines the intent of
the International Whaling Commission moratorium on commercial
whaling as well as the claim that they're being killed in the name
of science."
Senator Hill said Australia would continue to urge Japan to
abandon its
annual take of 440 minke whales.
"The information sought from the so-called scientific
whaling program
can be obtained using non-lethal means," Senator Hill
said.
The 52nd Meeting of the IWC and its various sub committees and
working
parties will be held in Adelaide from 9 June to 6 July 2000.
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