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Future Australian govt may use military to track Japanese whalers
Sydney (AFP) Nov 15, 2007 Australia's military could be used to track Japanese whaling vessels if the opposition wins next week's election as polls predict, a top opposition figure said Thursday. A Labor government would take advice from defence officials on the best way to monitor Japanese whaling vessels carrying out 'scientific whaling' in Australian waters, foreign affairs spokesman Robert McClelland said. "We are going to use, if appropriate, military resources to monitor the activities of the whaling vessels," McClelland told reporters. "Currently there is no monitoring. We are dependent upon the reports that they provide, from their self-interest point of view. "It's a live issue out there and that has to be communicated to the Japanese representatives. "That is going to be a really strong point of emphasis for a future Labor government." Aircraft from customs' Coastwatch service could also be used, McClelland said. "What is important is getting evidence, getting information, getting the facts," he added. This month Japan's whaling fleet is to leave for the Southern Ocean to kill 1,000 whiles, including for the first time 50 humpback whales. So-called scientific whaling exploits a research loophole to evade an international moratorium on commercial whaling in place for 20 years, but makes no secret that the meat eventually ends up on Japanese dinner plates. Japan has asked for protection for its whaling vessels from the activities of anti-whaling protesters, but McClelland said a Labor government would have little sympathy for such requests. Labor has a strong lead in opinion polls, which predict a landslide loss for Prime Minister John Howard after more than 11 years in office. McClelland is widely expected to serve as foreign minister if the centre-left party wins power. Related Links Follow the Whaling Debate
Call For A Ban On Controversial Dolphin Assisted Therapy
East Falmouth MA (SPX) Oct 31, 2007WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, is calling for a total ban on Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT), stating that the therapy provided is ineffective and potentially harmful to both people and animals. DAT is a controversial therapy that involves close interaction with dolphins, usually through swimming with these animals in captivity or in their natural environment, and is promoted as a treatment or respite from illness and disability. |
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