9
March 2009 - Key discussions on the future
of commercial and so-called ‘scientific’
whaling and the International Whaling Commission
(IWC) will be held at a three-day meeting
in Rome from Monday.
Environment Minister
Peter Garrett said Australia’s proposed
plans for modernising the International
Whaling Commission into a genuine conservation-focused
organisation continued to be advanced through
the Commission processes while Australia’s
primary objective remains a complete ban
on commercial whaling, including an end
to so-called ‘scientific’ whaling.
“The Australian Government
has invested $32 million over six years
in non-lethal research and other initiatives
to combat so-called ‘scientific whaling’.
This includes $14.5 million for non-lethal
whale research in the Southern Ocean and
$14.7 million for the Australian Marine
Mammal Centre, co-located at Hobart’s Australian
Antarctic Division.
“Australia’s delegation
to the Rome intersessional of the IWC will
advocate our robust conservation agenda,
and continue to listen to the views of other
countries in order to get a better understanding
of all positions within the Commission at
this critical time.
“While this is not a
decision making forum, our Delegation will
follow up on intense diplomatic activities
undertaken over recent months, including
through Australia’s Special Envoy, Mr Sandy
Hollway. This is part of our preparations
for the upcoming annual meeting of International
Whaling Commission in Madeira, in June this
year.
“The decade-long status
quo within the International Whaling Commission
means that progress towards a world free
from commercial and so-called scientific
whaling has been stalled,” Mr Garrett said.
“The Commission’s gridlock
is not acceptable because it is taking the
cause of whale conservation backwards. This
gridlock has seen the unilateral killing
of whales in increased numbers by Japan,
Norway and Iceland, either commercially
or under the guise of science.”
Mr Garrett said the
Chair of the Commission and the Chair of
the Commission’s Small Working Group prepared
a paper to be discussed in Rome. This paper
provides the Chairs’ suggestions on how
contentious issues might be addressed, taking
into account a range of national opinions
and priorities.
Mr Garrett reiterated
Australia’s resolute opposition to commercial
whaling and so-called scientific whaling.
“In the spirit of finding
a way forward, Australia is willing to listen
to and discuss all proposals, but the Australian
Government remains opposed to commercial
whaling and so-called ‘scientific’ whaling.
Australia will only support changes within
the International Whaling Commission that
bring us closer to our goals –to eliminate
whaling for good.”
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Whaling talks advance
reform agenda
12 March 2009 - At the
conclusion of the discussions of the International
Whaling Commission (IWC) in Rome, Environment
Minister Peter Garrett said Australia's
proposals for modernising the Commission
into a genuine conservation-focused organisation
continue to receive strong support from
around the world.
Mr Garrett said discussions
at the intersessional meeting of the IWC
on the future of commercial and so-called
'scientific' whaling ended on Wednesday
with Australia committing to continue to
work with other nations ahead of the next
meeting of the IWC in Portugal later this
year.
"While this was
not a forum for decision making or new proposals,
it does mark a critical phase of engagement
as we look towards the annual meeting of
the IWC this June. Discussions in Rome were
constructive and I am pleased the Commission
agreed to the continuation of negotiations
through the Small Working Group, who will
report on progress in Portugal.
"Australia will
continue to be part of this process in an
effort to break the gridlock and modernise
the focus of the Commission.
"This intersessional
meeting marks 12 months since Australia
tabled proposals in the Commission for the
modernisation of the organisation and I
am very pleased that support for those proposals
continues to grow amongst the international
community.
"This reform agenda
will take a major step forward on 23 March,
when Sydney hosts participants in the Australian
Government's Southern Ocean Research Partnership
planning workshop, launching the largest
international whale research project in
the world.
"The Commission's
history of gridlock is simply not acceptable.
It is taking the cause of whale conservation
backwards, and in the spirit of finding
a way forward, Australia will continue to
listen and discuss all views, standing firm
in our opposition to commercial and so-called
'scientific' whaling.
"Australia will
only support changes within the IWC that
bring us closer to our goal to eliminate
whaling for good," Mr Garrett said.
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Minister heads to PNG
for coral triangle talks
10 March 2009 - Environment
Minister Peter Garrett today departed for
Papua New Guinea for international talks
on marine biodiversity, fisheries and food
security in the Asia Pacific region as part
of the Coral Triangle Initiative.
Mr Garrett said the
multi-national Initiative is aimed at safeguarding
marine and coastal resources for coastal
populations in the region and is a critical
part of Australia’s engagement in the Asia
Pacific.
The Coral Triangle is
recognised as an area of global environmental
significance, with the greatest marine biological
diversity on the planet. Seventy five per
cent of the world’s known coral species,
one third of the world’s coral reef area,
and more than 3,000 species of fish can
be found in the region.
“This meeting, hosted
by the Papua New Guinea Government, follows
discussions in Townville late last year
and is a further opportunity for us to build
on strong support and growing momentum for
this program.
“Amazingly, around 240
million people depend on the health of the
Coral Triangle which faces many threats
to biodiversity and productivity which we
must work collaboratively to address for
the sake of the marine environment.
“Coastal communities
rely on healthy marine systems for food
security and sustainable industries and
Australia is very pleased to be supporting
the Coral Triangle Initiative, sharing our
knowledge and expertise in these areas with
the other nations involved -Indonesia, Timor
Leste, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, the Philippines
and the Solomon Islands.
“Australia’s northern
coastline is adjacent to the Coral Triangle
region, and through our ambitious marine
bioregional planning process we will identify
priority transboundary issues for collaboration,”
Mr Garrett said.
“I am looking forward
to these discussions over the coming days.”
The Coral Triangle is
a triangular-shaped region around the equator
at the confluence of the Western Pacific
and Indian Oceans, covering all or parts
of Indonesia (central and eastern), Timor
Leste, the Philippines, Malaysia (Sabah),
Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Australia is cooperating
with the United States of America, Asian
Development Bank, WWF, The Nature Conservancy,
Conservation International and the WorldFish
Centre to support the Initiative.
