Senate debates

Wednesday, 17 March 2010

Ady Gil

3:46 pm

Photo of Bob BrownBob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Senate. That craven attitude from the government towards Tokyo on the matter of whaling takes it to a new depth. Mr Bethune was captain of the Ady Gil, which was run down by the Japanese security ship protecting the whalers in the absence of the Australian and New Zealand governments on the high seas. The Australian government does have jurisdiction. All countries which are signatories to proper and decent behaviour on the high seas do have legal jurisdiction. This Australian government has failed to take action to implement its own signature at the bottom of the laws governing proper behaviour on the seas that make it illegal for one ship to run down another in the circumstances in which the Ady Gil was smashed and the six men aboard came within an inch of their lives being taken by the reckless and deliberate action of this whaling support ship. The Australian government, like the New Zealand government, has stood aside so far and done nothing about implementing its obligation to see that such illegal behaviour by a ship at sea, in waters to which we are the closest nations, is brought to book. So, far from Senator Ludwig’s asseveration that Mr Bethune was in some way at fault here for purveying rotten butter, the fact is that he is turning a blind eye to the smashing and sinking of a ship, with the clear possibility of killing the six people aboard, by a Japanese ship in flagrant breach of international law. This government should act.

Question put:

That the motion (Senator Bob Brown’s) be agreed to.

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