Is Australia doing enough to tackle Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean?

9 Jan 2012
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Japanese whalers conduct a hunt every year in the Southern Ocean. (AAP)

Japanese whalers conduct a hunt every year in the Southern Ocean. (AAP)

Australia has launched legal action against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean sanctuary, but there are calls for the government to take stronger action, ranging from top-level talks with Tokyo to sending a ship to the whale hunt area. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says a customs operation to pick up three Australian protesters who boarded a Japanese security vessel in the Southern Ocean will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Should taxpayers foot the bill to release the activists?

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@username2000 - lies with statistics

Clavdivs - from Sydney, 4 months ago

Twice the waste? And that's meant to make me look away when a country breaks an international agreement aimed at protecting an endangered species? We export coal and iron ore to Japan. Now digging it up releases CO2 so this is counted as "my waste". In Tokyo people can be moved by train, impossible in Australia because of its low population density, so I am supposed to feel guilty that I drive? Then Fukushima blows up because no provision was made for tsunamis but nuclear waste does not count?

are you serious

geo - from gold coast, 4 months ago

this spineless government couldnt stop a tap running in the parliament house toilet, they are all wind and water. I was going to say they are like a fish out of water. i am a boatie and have seen many whales close up out in our waters, they are such beautiful gentle giants, and my heart bleeds when I see footage of the slaughter of these animals. The japanese have their own agenda and it is up to the rest of the world to stop them. Wake up Gillard/Swann/Smith/Albanese & the greens.

Whales

oncewas - from bribie island, 4 months ago

What is so sacred about whales? They have been a food source for zonks. How does the average intelligent cow feel when she reads about the whale fuss as she lines up at the meatworks. Lets be vegetarian or shut up about others peoples preferred meat tastes. And where are the save the prawn, whiting and flathead groups? Perhaps we need a save the protestors group.

This isn't of Interest is it for research ?

Manfred E. Mayer - from Nerang, 4 months ago

!00 whales are strandet near Neu Zealand , that this have anything to do with Hunting ? Just curious it wasn't mentioned yet . Maybe not enough krill down their , trough pharmaceutical use to takle artritis .

Fight for a cause...

Rod Night - from Central Coast NSW, 4 months ago

I admire the guys who risked their welfare to take a relatively calculated risk, and protest whale slaughtering in the southern ocean. Weather it is stopping a Coal Mine, Saving a Rain Forest or protecting the Whales, if people don't stand up for what they believe, Governments will not act to do the right thing. Governments by nature are lazy bastards, who only respond to pressure, and it is not easy work to get a response. Good on the people who endure discomfort to fight for their cause.

Fed gov's doing as much as it can

hairynose wombat - from sydney, 4 months ago

Why isn't Federal Government doing more to stop Japanese whaling? Because it can't. Those who say otherwise are liars, demagogues, ignorants or parrots.

One said that same thing on TV and I liked it .

Manfred E. Mayer - from Nerang , 4 months ago

Was it on Tuesday morning Ch 9 , we have to foot their bill , and so he said they just lucky , they didn't let them swim home . I hope our Government ask the money back from them . Bloody Idiots . As I was looking it up , it seems the Whalers are responsible Hunters ( who said hunting is pretty ) and only use what is necessary , to hold the balance . But whom one has to believe , definitely not them protestors . So now I hope you all Disagree ?

Who Benifits Most From OZ Political Cowards?

Alex - from oneofsevenbillion@home, 4 months ago

Other question I ask myself. How deep in it is MSM when it comes to inventing debate where they isn't one. Is it illegal to hunt whales in our protected reserve waters or not? If yes then why is their no effective action being taken? Given monkey see monkey do has a domino effect I'd like to know what the rules are before explaining to my kids the rule of law in this county is meaningless. What does illegal actually mean in OZ?

Double standards much?

Mari - from Japan, 4 months ago

Um, yeah. Your nation still runs on coal (THE most environmentally harmful source of energy BY FAR) and your country is responsible for having the longest list of extinct species out of ALL of the continents on this planet. Stop being among the WORST environmentally irresponsible countries on earth and maybe THEN we'll consider sitting down and discussing matters.

hypocrites!

username2000 - from melbourne, 4 months ago

whaling is doing massive damage to the oceans? please. how about the fact that the average australian produces TWICE the waste (both CO2 and garbage) that the average japanese citizen produces? what about the continent in the pacific ocean made of garbage or the possibility that plastic debris now outnumbers the amount of plankton in the oceans? it's not so easy to point fingers and place the blame on yourselves or your neighbours, isn't it?

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