New Zealand First
Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters has described the appointment
of Sir Geoffrey Palmer to the International Whaling
Commission as a subtle piece of conservation diplomacy.
Mr
Peters said that whales around the world would be “pinging
in their pods” about the appointment of the former Labour
prime minister to the position.
“This is clever
conservation. Until now Sir Geoffrey has managed to
cunningly conceal his love of whales and we are sure his
appointment will spread alarm and dismay throughout the
pro-whaling lobby.”
However, Mr Peters also warned that if
Sir Geoffrey was as successful as a whaling commissioner as
he was as a Labour prime minister, the whales would face
near-insurmountable odds in their battle for
survival.
“Instead of appointing one of their own, the
Government should have appointed the best person for the job
– someone from the conservation lobby with a commitment to
preserving the
planet.”
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