Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question. This government, as indeed all of the preceding governments of all political persuasions, is very disappointed by Japan's actions in relation to whaling in the Southern Ocean. The Australian government has raised the matter regularly at the highest levels of government, including by the Prime Minister, the foreign minister and the environment minister. We remain opposed to all forms of commercial whaling and strongly support the global moratorium on commercial whaling. The Australian government welcomed the decision of the International Court of Justice, in March 2014, that found that Japan's whaling program in the Southern Ocean was not for the purposes of scientific research and ordered that program to cease. It is Australia's view, and the view of many other countries, that the International Whaling Commission has not completed its review of Japan's new whaling program and that Japan should refrain from any whaling until this process is completed, in late 2016. The International Court of Justice has found Japan's whaling program was unlawful and not for the purpose of scientific research.