Dear John
How we hate to write so we’re coming to visit. Around the country people are signing petitions and sending you mail calling on your Government to vote against any proposal which legitimises commercial whaling and allows hunting to continue in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
We hope you’re getting the message but, just to make sure, we’ve organised a protest outside your workplace at lunchtime on Friday, April 23. We’ve chosen this date as it’s around that time more details of the proposal to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will be released, like the number of whales which will be slaughtered each year. That will just be a number on a page so we’re bringing along hundreds of whale tail cut outs to help you get the picture. Even so we’ll be struggling to bring along the right number – that’s how high it could be.
You’ve said in the past that killing whales is akin to murder and many New Zealanders would agree with you.
But then you said in order to save the whales we’d have to kill a few more in the first place. You lost us on this one. It’s a bit like saying that to protect New Zealand’s economy we need to mine some of our most precious conservation areas.
There’s a strong parallel here. Schedule 4 was designed to protect pristine areas of our National Parks but you seem to be doing your best to open them up to the drillers. The moratorium on commercial whaling and creation of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary should protect whales but you seem intent on opening them up to the harpooners.
And if the IWC proposal goes ahead New Zealand taxpayers, along with other member countries, will foot the bill to manage it.
In political speak, you’d have to agree, this is a lose lose scenario.
John, now’s the time to take charge. Put a stop to this proposal and support the Australian Government’s plan to end whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary within five years.
Keep in touch!
I'll be there! Confirm your presence at the protest on Facebook Event - RSVP