Rudd govt urges end to Antarctic whaling

The Rudd government has presented a proposal to the International Whaling Commission
(IWC) calling for an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean within five years.
The proposal also calls for the practice of so-called scientific whaling to be
abolished by bringing all whaling under the control of the commission.
Ending scientific whaling is described as a "major priority" in the proposal.
"Australia needs to see an immediate end to unilateral so-called scientific
whaling," the proposal said.
Currently, commercial whaling is banned but countries can hunt whales in the name of
science. Up to 1900 whales are killed each year.
The demand for whaling in the Southern Ocean is also a key issue for Australia.
Last week, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced his government would take
international legal action against Japan if it did not agree, by November, to end
whaling in the Southern Ocean.
The proposal also calls for all other whaling, other than aboriginal subsistence
whaling, to be phased out and that no new whaling be permitted on species or
populations not currently hunted.
It also calls for an immediate end to the hunting of vulnerable species and that no
whaling take place in sanctuaries.
"Australia will continue to argue vigorously that whaling should be phased down to
zero, with total and permanent elimination of all whaling (other than current
aboriginal subsistence whaling), within a reasonable timeframe," the proposal said.
"However, the government recognises the significant difficulties to be overcome to
meet this outcome and acknowledges that it may not be possible to achieve these
goals immediately."
Australian officials will push their case at a meeting of an IWC working group in
the United States next week.