Theatre sports in the Southern Ocean: engagement options for Australia in whale research protest action
In the great whaling debate, fuelled twice yearly by the annual InternationalWhaling Commission meeting and the departure of the Japanese researchfleet for the Southern Ocean, silliness knows no bounds. 2008 was noexception, as the Southern Ocean again became the location of protestaction (sometimes...
| Published in: | Australian Journal of International Affairs |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Group
2009
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1080/10357710802389488 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/62722 |
| Summary: | In the great whaling debate, fuelled twice yearly by the annual InternationalWhaling Commission meeting and the departure of the Japanese researchfleet for the Southern Ocean, silliness knows no bounds. 2008 was noexception, as the Southern Ocean again became the location of protestaction (sometimes provocative and potentially life-threatening) againstJapanese scientific research vessels. The Japanese are accused of whalingin a whale sanctuary off the Australian Antarctic Territory, yet this claim tosovereignty is not legally proven and therefore not universally accepted. TheRudd Labor Government bowed to significant pressure and sent its Customsvessel, the Oceanic Viking, to spy on the Japanese fleet and gather evidencefor a possible world court action. This paper examines what options wereavailable to Australia to intervene in the protest action, to monitor theJapanese research and to take legal action in an international forum withinthe constraints of internationally defined diplomatic and legal boundaries. Itconcludes that the risk of attracting the wrath of the Japanese governmentand other Antarctic Treaty countries is great indeed and the Australiangovernment must be careful not to step too far outside these boundaries. |
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