Sea Shepherd's founder Cpt Paul Watson arriving in New Zealand
Sea Shepherd works for the overall good of the planet; we are a small organisation with a modest budget and operations worldwide. We have defended whales, dolphins, harp seals, bluefin tuna, sharks, turtles and other endangered marine life against poachers for more than thirty years.
We believe that John Key has misread the minds and hearts of New Zealanders in regards their relationship to the environment, and his proposal to reinstate commercial whaling after a 24- year moratorium is one example of the growing credibility gap between current government policies and the wishes of the New Zealand people. This is a values clash that cannot be negotiated.
Our response to this will be heard loud and clear this Friday 19th and Saturday 20th March in Wellington. Sea Shepherd’s founder Captain Paul Watson will be here Friday and Saturday; the Steve Irwin will arrive in port at Queen’s Wharf late Friday evening and be open to the public on Saturday, departing for the Galapagos Islands Saturday night. Here are the issues we will be addressing:
- Pete Bethune is going on trial in Japan when the real criminal, the Japanese skipper of the security vessel Shonan Maru No.2, who deliberately attacked and destroyed the Ady Gil, goes free in Japan. We will be showing our support for Pete, and inviting other organisations to join us.
- John Key’s flawed plan to resume commercial whaling goes on trial in the court of New Zealand public opinion, with Labour’s Chris Carter leading the charge. If you haven’t signed the petition, take a minute and go to http://carter.org.nz/?page_id=567.
- The Australian government has threatened to take Japan to an International Court in November over continued violations in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. Our government has refused to back this move, although they claim to want closer relations with Australia. We will ask why they are ignoring an issue that has commercial and environmental implications for both countries.
-The 47 signatories to the Antarctic Treaty meet in the USA next month. We want to see an environmental pollution complaint against Japanese whaling interests on the meeting's agenda.
- Glen Inwood’s role as spokesman for the whalers and in supplying dis-information to the New Zealand government and media will be revealed to the public, along with his connection to Japanese commercial interests in New Zealand.
There will be opportunities for many voices to be heard, if you belong to another environmental group please forward this message to your list or contact us directly.
Many thanks,
FOR THE WHALES x
Comments
Key dragging NZ back to the bad old days of ultra conservatism?I
Is NZ sliding back to ultra conservatism under National? John Keys is looking more like the new face of the New Zealand’s antiquated born again redneck right, of the likes we haven’t seen in this country since the demise of the old warrior of the mid 1970s, the nationals ‘Robert piggy Muldoon’.
Given the recent shift of New Zealand’s politics to the right, there is some concern that Key might even attempt to reverse New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy. A meeting was held recently in Sydney of concerned expat kiwis from Australia, US and Britain, some of whom were former anti nuclear activists who campaigned against the French nuclear tests at Mururoa and the Springboks tour in 1981. A consensus was reached that should NZ begin regressing back to the ultra conservative days of the 50s-70s, a coalition of concerned activists would return home to orchestrate a public campaign against Key and the national Government.
Watch this space
Peter Terry
http://www.myspace.com/nambassa
Key dragging NZ back to the bad old days of ultra conservatism?I
Is NZ sliding back to ultra conservatism under National? John Keys is looking more like the new face of the New Zealand’s antiquated born again redneck right, of the likes we haven’t seen in this country since the demise of the old warrior of the mid 1970s, the nationals ‘Robert piggy Muldoon’.
Given the recent shift of New Zealand’s politics to the right, there is some concern that Key might even attempt to reverse New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy. A meeting was held recently in Sydney of concerned expat kiwis from Australia, US and Britain, some of whom were former anti nuclear activists who campaigned against the French nuclear tests at Mururoa and the Springboks tour in 1981. A consensus was reached that should NZ begin regressing back to the ultra conservative days of the 50s-70s, a coalition of concerned activists would return home to orchestrate a public campaign against Key and the national Government.
Watch this space
Peter Terry
http://www.myspace.com/nambassa
What's wrong with whaling?
What's wrong with whaling?
Nothing, so long as it is
Nothing, so long as it is done at sustainable levels as determined by rigorous scientific analysis.
Can you explain what is
Can you explain what is 'right' with whaling?
I don't have to. In a liberal
I don't have to. In a liberal society, people should be free to do what they want, except when it infringes on the rights of others. It follows that a person opposing something should explain why. I'm asking for that explanation in the hope that a thorough, mature debate will reveal the merits of that view.
If there are good reasons to oppose whaling, then it should be easy to explain why.