Greens whale-saver bill goes to Opposition

A bill to ensure that if future whaling occurs in Australia's whale sanctuaries - either off Australia or Antarctica - a policing vessel is on the scene has been sent to the Opposition.

The Bill is simple amendment to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act which inserts a new section:

Schedule 1-Amendment of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

1.     After section 236

Insert:

236A  Monitoring foreign whaling vessels

(1)       A Commonwealth vessel must monitor the activities of foreign whaling vessels in and around the Australian Whale Sanctuary.

(2)       The Minister must cause to be made public a report on the activities of the foreign whaling vessels being monitored in the Australian Whale Sanctuary pursuant to subsection (1) within 30 days from the start of the monitoring and within 30 days of its completion.

(3)       In this section:

Commonwealth vessel means a vessel that is owned, possessed or controlled by the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth agency.

foreign whaling vessel has the same meaning as in subsection 236(5).

Meanwhile Senator Brown has described last night’s incursion into Australian territorial waters at Macquarie Island, as Tokyo flaunting Australian law.

This morning it is reported that the Japanese vessel was leaving the vicinity of Macquarie Island.