Press release - March 16, 2010
A mock weigh-in of a six metre replica whale ‘caught’ by John Key has appeared in front of his electorate office with Greenpeace calling on him to reject any deal that would legitimise commercial whaling.
A mock weigh-in of a six metre replica whale ‘caught’ by John Key has appeared in front of his electorate office with Greenpeace calling on him to reject any deal that would legitimise commercial whaling.
Greenpeace New Zealand oceans campaigner Karli Thomas said the Government’s support of the IWC proposal was undoing decades of conservation work by Kiwis to protect whales.
To the outrage of many New Zealanders, the Government is
supporting a proposal to the International Whaling Commission (IWC)
which would allow Japan, Norway and Iceland to hunt whales openly,
despite a 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling.
Greenpeace New Zealand oceans campaigner Karli Thomas said the
Government's support of the IWC proposal was undoing decades of
conservation work by Kiwis to protect whales.
Over the years New Zealand has become one of the strongest
defenders of whale conservation. But if this proposal goes ahead
we'll be undermining the most important protection the whales have
- the moratorium on commercial whaling," she said.
New Zealand must save the whales, not the whalers. New
Zealanders need to stand up and say no to a Government that is
prepared to undermine the most important protection whales
have."
This morning's mock weigh-in, including a stand-in of Prime
Minister John Key proudly standing along side his 'catch' holding a
blood-covered harpoon, in front of his Kumeu electorate office, was
designed to highlight the Government's surrender of New Zealand's
whale conservation heritage, she said.
"Our national values are under increasing attack by the
Government. First, they propose opening up precious conservation
land to mining and are now supporting a deal that would legitimise
commercial whaling. What's next on the list? Nuclear ships in our
harbours?"
Thomas said New Zealand should instead be supporting the
Australian Government which rejects the IWC proposal and is pushing
for whaling in the Southern Ocean to stop within five years.
Australia is also threatening to take Japan to the International
Court of Justice to force the issue if diplomacy fails (1).
The proposal has been developed by a small working group of the
IWC, chaired by former New Zealand Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey
Palmer. New Zealand officials describe it as a compromise deal (2)
but it has been widely criticised as ushering in a new era of
commercial whaling. A decision is expected in June.