Australia Attacks Key’s Whaling Plans

Chris Carter says the stinging attack on John Key’s proposal to champion commercial whaling by Australia’s Environment Minister is further proof that this National Government is making an utter shambles of New Zealand’s international relationships and image.

Labour’s Foreign Affairs Spokesperson said the idea of compromising on allowing some commercial whaling may be spun as being well intentioned but it is folly.

“The proposal to allow commercial whaling is doing New Zealand’s successful 100% Pure brand huge and potentially disastrous damage,” said Chris Carter.

“This comes at the same time as a number of other regressive environmental measures. These include National’s plans to mine sensitive conservation areas, and last week’s announcement of an acceptance by New Zealand of an increased catch quota for endangered blue fin tuna.

“Such measures are particularly dangerous when Kiwi industries are increasingly nervous about European and North American competitors playing up the suggestion of ‘air mile’ carbon costs and pollution that buying far-away New Zealand goods is supposedly incurring.

“The precedent issue is also important. If Japan is allowed to hunt whales legally then the lid is well and truly off on the world moratorium on commercial whaling,” said Chris Carter.

“What’s to stop any other country demanding or simply taking the same ‘rights’ as Mr Key has offered to the Japanese?

”The most appalling aspect of National’s ‘new’ whaling policy is that, in spite of all the distracting spin from Foreign Minister Murray McCully, and the implication that New Zealand’s whaling policy is the responsibility of our IWC Commissioner, it’s clear that the idea was foreshadowed by John Key in January when he announced a ‘bold new initiative’ to end Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean.

“The Australian’s certainly aren’t supporting John Key’s new whaling policy, and neither is the New Zealand Labour Party.”

Australia’s Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, is quoted by the AAP yesterday as saying:
"I am alarmed and very concerned that NZ would support a proposal that is flawed and represents a huge compromise to pro-whaling nations….Australia cannot support the compromise package now being discussed in the IWC."

ENDS

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