Australian Government footage of whale slaughter must be aired in Japan

Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, welcomes the release of the Australian Government footage obtained under Freedom of Information request by Sea Shepherd.

Senator Whish-Wilson said, “This footage lays bare the brutality that is whaling. These whales are being killed and die slowly and in pain, sometimes drowning in their own blood. This slaughter happens for no legitimate reason and should be condemned.

“The Australian Government needs to make sure that people in Japan see this so they understand the gravity of what their country does in their name. I spent time in Japan recently, meeting with politicians and activists, and what is clear to me is that the Japanese public at large are oblivious to these activities.

“Malcolm Turnbull needs to get a copy of this tape, stick it in a diplomatic bag and send it to the Prime Minister of Japan. We need to let the Japanese Government and the Japanese public know that the Australian people aren’t going to stand for it.

“In opposition, the Liberal Party promised to send a customs vessel to police whaling by Japan in the Southern Ocean, but in Government they have retreated into a position of silence and inaction. It’s the weakest position an Australian Government has held on whaling since we adopted an anti-whaling policy in 1979.

“Going into Summer, where Japan is about to slaughter 333 minke whales, in our waters and against international law, the Australian Government must outline their strategy to stop this happening.

“In the meantime, I will be reaching out to my counterparts in Japan to work out a way to get this footage made widely available to the Japanese public,” he concluded.