One of the Rudd Government's election platforms was its strong stance against the resumption of commercial whaling.
Peter Garrett and Kevin Rudd promised a campaign that would see Navy ships intercept Japanese whaling vessels in the Southern Ocean, as well as RAAF surveillance and a special envoy, complete with a "Whaling Commissioner" to explore diplomatic solutions.
However, it seems that the recent budget has made no allocation for such activities, and no further funding for the "special envoy" to challenge Japanese whaling in the International court of justice.
In essence it's been scrapped.
So, the tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayers dollars already spent in developing the envoy and sending it to far flung countries seems to have amounted to nothing.
Don't get me wrong, the previous Liberal government didn't exactly move heaven and earth to address the whaling issue, but they also didn't promise me, as a voter, that they would.
But, I will be the first to admit that I was initially impressed with the Labor Government's promised tough stance on whaling.
I held some hope that our country would finally play an important part in finding a solution to this so-called ‘Scientific Whaling" - Peter Garrett himself called the practice "a sham".
So, as June draws closer, so does the next meeting of the IWC, the International Whaling Commission,
Japan will push to resume commercial whaling in its own waters, and the chances are, it will achieve its goals, having purchased the votes of many small countries.
I had hoped Peter Garrett would show some of the power and passion he belted out during his time as a rock star, but I can't help but feel that his political aspirations may have damped his ardour.
Comments
Peter Garrett has like all other faithful cRuddite sect members, gone to water and to heel. An embarrassing puppy dog on a short leash. There has not been one single exhibition of passion from this ageing rocker. He is a spent force. Melody is right to question the governments promise keeping and their ticker. Actually I thought that the previous government was doing a great job in regard to whaling considering that they were very careful to operate within international law, as we should expect
May 27 04:59 pmThank you Melody, for expressing your disappointment in the government and in particular Peter Garret doing a flip in his attitude to things environmental, particularly in this case whaling.
May 27 05:18 pmIt has been said :"the truth will out"!
Perhaps your words of wisdom will help those who care to come aboard and put a stop to this slaughter of such beautiful mammals. Anyone interested,email your comments to citizenpoweraustralia@gmail.com and I shall send them on to one who cares The Hon J
Well things are different when one is a pop singer, but when one becomes a pollie, their personal views change overnight. The party machine demands the party's policies to be followed. Of course Peter Garret would not want to jeopadize his position, now would he? He is fickle and false as all pollies are. A bunch of liars.
May 27 09:27 pmWow! everyone amazes me..everything needs to be done immediately..but with the economic climate the way it is where in the name of heaven is all this money going to come from??? although Australia is not as badly affected as other countries..please people, the liberals had years to fix things and they didn't...now give Rudd a chance to prove himself he is not a wizard and is not halfway through his term.
May 28 07:03 pmI haven't heard Peter Garrett say anything much ever since he was elected to Parliament.
May 29 06:40 pm