The Federal Court has ordered a Japanese whaling company to stop killing whales in Australian Antarctic waters. Good decision (even though action cannot be taken) or diplomatic disaster?
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ANSWERS: 6
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It is nice to have your decision on paper and taking a stand, but if it unenforceable it is merely symbolic. Japan has dealt with this for years - i don't think it is a diplomatic disaster.
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A good and necessary decision and, as Australia already has a ship en route to the area, action can indeed be taken.
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one more nail the the coffin of Japanese whaling ... in the end these fools will have to see that the world is against them and just maybe see sense by them selves before they are economically forced into it
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G'day Singwell, Thank you for your question. Interesting point given that Australia's claims to the Antarctic are not widely recognised internationally and the claim is in abeyance under the Antarctic Treaty. My view is that opponents of whaling would be better placed in running a public relations campaign in Japan against whaling. Support for the "research whaling" is not widely based so if urban Japan could be mobilised to oppose it, the Japanese Government would end support for it. Action to enforce this could only be taken through military action of some sort which the Australian Government is reluctant to undertake. Regards Wikipedia Australian Antarctic Treaty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Antarctic_Territory International Herald Tribune http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/15/news/Antarctica-Whaling.php
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Do we really want to save the whales or do we just want to sell them more beef? ;)
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Not a disaster - the Japanese know what other people think of their whaling, even if they don't like having it pointed out. And I like to see a country standing up for their principles, even if it is the judges (who understand principles) rather than the politicians (wh bend to the wind of popular opinion). If the politicians had said it, I would be even more pleased.
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