Tonight’s Four Corners program confirms the failure of the Howard Government’s approach to whaling.

The Howard Government has been asleep at the wheel for nine long years while the Japanese Government has stacked the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Four Corners has alleged the Japanese Government has handed out favours to Pacific Island and Caribbean nations in exchange for support at the IWC. These favours are said to include paying IWC membership fees and delegates’ expenses.

It’s alleged these actions have been going on for years, but the Howard Government has been silent.

The Howard Government refuses to take tough action against the Japanese Government to stop whaling.

· It intervened in a Federal Court case brought by Human Society International because it “would be likely to give rise to an international disagreement with Japan”;

· It has refused to prosecute a single Japanese whaling company despite more than 400 whales being illegally killed in Australian waters since 2000; and

· It has refused to take Japan to the International Court of Justice to stop whaling once and for all.

We cannot afford another year of complacency. The Howard Government must act immediately to take Japan to the International Court of Justice.