23 November 2012

Green Party welcomes Govt anti-whaling legal action

The Green Party today welcomed the announcement that the New Zealand Government has lodged an intervention at the International Court of Justice.

“This legal action challenges Japan's so-called scientific whaling, which everyone knows is simply a guise for commercial whaling,” said Green Party oceans spokesperson Gareth Hughes.

“In the absence of a diplomatic solution, the best chance for the protection of whales lies in applying existing international law.

“Kiwis love whales and want to see their protection enforced,” said Mr Hughes.

“The Government must do more to oppose Japan's illegal whaling, including increased diplomatic pressure and sending a naval vessel to the Southern Ocean to monitor and protest the whale slaughter.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media

World Refugee Day:
Are We Doing Our Bit?

On World Refugee Day, Thursday June 20th, Doing Our Bit will officially launch a campaign to double New Zealand’s UNHCR Refugee Resettlement Quota...

New Zealand’s low refugee intake is not a new issue. In February a NZ Herald editorial commented that our intake was ‘paltry’, remarking that ‘surely we could do more’. In April, Amnesty International described the quota as ‘tiny'.

“Despite being a small country in the middle of the South Pacific, New Zealand prides itself on being hospitable. We are friendly to overseas visitors and we see ourselves as punching above our weight in international affairs,” said Murdoch Stephens, coordinator of Doing Our Bit.

“However, in terms of accepting refugees New Zealand is clearly not doing our share.” More>>