Australia must refuse air access for Japanese

Australia must refuse air access for Japanese police - Brown

The Greens say Australians will react angrily if the Howard Government permits Japan use of our airports to send police or troops to the whaling confrontation in Antarctic waters south of Australia.

"That would be a stunning misjudgement and would bring huge protests onshore to Australia," Senator Brown said. "It is bad enough that our government is sitting on its hands and leaving Greenpeace to defend Australia's interests in saving the whales. But to facilitate armed Japanese intervention by giving Tokyo the use of Australian airspace and airports like Hobart or Perth would bring the house down," Senator Brown said.

Senator Brown has also asked the New Zealand Greens to ensure the Clark Government denies any Japanese request to use New Zealand facilities to aid the whalers.

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