Coalition Senators' Additional Comments

Coalition Senators accept the arguments against this bill as presented in the majority report.

However, given the Government has used this inquiry and report as an opportunity to peddle the supposed merit of its actions against whaling, Coalition Senators similarly wish to highlight briefly what has been a gulf between Labor's rhetoric prior to the 2007 election and its actions in government.

Prior to the 2007 election, Labor on many occasions presented the need to stop Japanese whaling as among the most urgent of matters, for example:

"We cannot afford another year of complacency. The Howard Government must act immediately to take Japan to the International Court of Justice."

Kevin Rudd and Anthony Albanese, media release, 18 July 2005.

"A Rudd Labor Government will pull out all stops in the international courts to stop whaling for all time."

Peter Garrett, media release, 14 February 2007

Coalition Senators note that it took the Labor Government fully 2½ years after its election in November 2007 to initiate legal action in the International Court of Justice in May 2010 against Japanese scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean, yet the full legal case could still take up to eight years.

The Coalition has sought for the Labor Government both to release its anticipated timeline for a decision on its legal action, and for the Government to take out interim legal action to stop whaling now.  It has done neither.

Senator Mary Jo Fisher (Deputy Chair)

Senator the Hon Judith Troeth

Senator Simon Birmingham

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