Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate calls on the Government to:

(a) send a Customs vessel to the Southern Ocean now That the whaling season has commenced, as it is important that Australia has a Southern Ocean presence given the ongoing risk of confrontation between whalers and protestors; and

(b) ensure That the resources devoted to patrolling illegal foreign fishing are not diverted to other activities, including That the Australian Customs Vessel Ocean Protector and/or its replacement is provided with sufficient funding to devote an adequate level of patrol days in the Southern waters every financial year.

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are two parts to this motion. The first part relates to whaling; the second part relates to illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean. The exact wording for both sections came directly from the coalition's policy. The part relating to whaling was taken word-for-word from Minister Hunt's website. The second section on illegal fishing and patrolling illegal fishing was taken from the coalition's election plan on fishing. I highlight the words:

… ensure that the resources devoted to patrolling illegal foreign fishing are not diverted to other activities.

The problem we have at the moment is that our custom-built boat for the Southern Ocean, the Ocean Protector, is off Christmas Island acting as an expensive water taxi. It is needed in the Southern Ocean and it should be off Macquarie Island. I expect the coalition to support today's motion given that these exact words are word-for-word from their policy documents.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia's views on whaling are well known. The Australian government strongly opposes all commercial whaling, including Japan's so-called scientific whaling. We hope that the International Court of Justice makes a positive decision shortly and that there is no attempt at whaling. If, however, the fleet set sail, as it appears they may have started to, a commitment to monitoring and observing remains undiminished. Beyond that, we will obviously not pre-empt or discuss operational activities. The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is working with other government agencies on how it can best support the government's commitment in the Southern Ocean, including the deployment of a border protection asset for this purpose.

Question agreed to.