Garrett talks up govt's whaling stance

Australia is at a crossroads in the fight to stop commercial whaling and ensure the
survival of whales worldwide, Environment Minister Peter Garrett says.
Mr Garrett used the International Fund for Animal Welfare's National Whale Day event
in Sydney on Saturday to highlight the federal government's action on whaling.
Making good on an election promise, the government this week lodged a formal
application with the International Court of Justice to challenge Japanese whaling in
Antarctic waters.
Mr Garrett denied the announcement of the legal bid had been brought forward in an
effort to boost the Labor government's popularity ratings at home.
Japan argues its "research whaling" is permitted under the rules of an international
moratorium on commercial whaling.
At Saturday's function, Mr Garrett announced the winner of a $660,000 prize for
whale research and pledged the government's support to end so-called scientific
whaling in the Southern Ocean.
"We are at a crossroads when it comes to the maintenance of the moratorium on
commercial whaling," he said.
"We are at a crossroads when it comes to our efforts to strengthen the protection of
whales worldwide."
A major meeting of the International Whaling Commission in late June, which may
approve a proposal to legalise commercial whaling, would be another such
"crossroads", Mr Garrett said.
"If agreed, a return in effect to commercial whaling (would be) a step which
Australia believes is backward, and a step which we will vigorously and stringently
oppose," he said.
Meanwhile, Trade Minister Simon Crean has told Japanese media there will be no
breakdown in trade or relations between the nations, despite the legal action.
Mr Crean is in Japan for trade meetings and to advance a Free Trade Agreement.
In an interview with Japan's Nikkei newspaper on Friday, Mr Crean was asked whether
he thought trade would be affected by the "deteriorating" relations between the
countries, due to the legal action.
"I'm absolutely convinced it won't," he said.
"And I don't think the national sentiments are deteriorating."
The two governments had a mature relationship and wouldn't let the difference of
opinion on whaling interrupt that, Mr Crean said.
"People have known for some years now that there are strong and fundamental
differences of opinion between the Japanese government and the Australian government
on the question of whaling," he said.