Greens Leader Bob Brown will be dockside with the Sea Shepherd fleet before it leaves from Hobart for Antarctic waters today.

Senator Brown has written to the minister for the environment, Tony Burke, requesting an Australian naval presence to surveil Japanese whaling in Australia's Antarctic waters.

"Sea Shepherd are the champions for the whales and have massive public backing in Australia and elsewhere around the world. The least our government can do is provide footage so that the world can see what an ugly slaughter this is."

Letter:

2 December 2010

The Government says action in the International Court against Japanese whaling will 'take years' but has no action plan to prevent the slaughter in Antarctic waters this summer, said Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown. 

Senator Brown told the Senate that while Australia's government takes no action against the arrogant and disdainful Japanese whalers, two to ten thousand whales will be killed.

The Australian Greens today announced a new plan to protect the Coral Sea environment from oil and gas extraction, unsustainable fishing and pollution.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said a new Coral Sea Marine Reserve would protect one of Australia's most magnificent marine areas.

"The Coral Sea is home to many endangered species including but only 1% is protected," said Senator Brown.

The Greens proposal would allow recreational game fishing in the western (closest to land) region of the marine park north of Cairns.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said an international court case against Japan by the Australian Government would not stop Japanese whalers returning to the Southern Ocean next summer.

Senator Brown welcomed the announcement that Australia will prosecute Japan over whaling activities in the International Court of Justice, but questioned the timing.

"Japan's proposal for a resumption of commercial whaling will be debated at the International Whaling Commission meeting in Morocco next month.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown has criticized an Australian Marine Safety Authority report into the sinking of anti-whaling activist vessel Ady Gil.

The report makes no clear recommendation to legally pursue the captain of the Japanese whaler Shonan Maru 2 despite the Australian Government's ability to do so.

"Australia which had the last port of call for the Ady Gil has unfettered ability to pursue the captain of the Japanese whaler Shonan maru 2 which ran down the Ady Gil and nearly killed the 6 crewman aboard," said Senator Brown.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown says the oil spill catastrophe now threatening the coastline of several US states highlights both the vulnerability of the Australian marine environment to oil spills and the serious incapacity of the industry to control such events.

"A spill like that now unfolding in the US would decimate the Great Barrier Reef or Western Australia's World Heritage Ningaloo Reef for example," said Senator Brown.

The Australian Greens say a Japanese warrant for the arrest of Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson highlights just how little is being done by the Federal Government to combat whaling in the Southern Ocean.

“The Australian Government are sitting on their hands and doing nothing to pursue legal action against Japan as they promised at the last election,” Australian Greens Marine Spokesperson Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

“The last whaling season was one of the least productive for many years, but that came at a price.

"It's like looking down on an unclaimed bag in a subway," Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said today after flying over the coal tanker stuck fast on the Great Barrier Reef. Just one other small vessel is nearby.

From the air the pristine blue ocean dotted with coral ringed emerald lagoons of the Marine Park dominates, but the Shen Neng 1 sits below like an environmental time-bomb.

"I congratulate all those who are insisting no measure is too expensive to help rescue the Reef and coast from this threat," said Senator Brown.