Peter Garrett Should Greet Sea Shepherd in Hobart - Greens say

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Garrett should meet Sea Shepherd: Greens Cathy Alexander

January 15, 2009

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has been urged to personally meet an anti-whaling ship when it arrives in Hobart to refuel on Saturday.





The Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin has suspended its pursuit of Japanese whalers through Antarctic waters in order to refuel.

It is due to dock at noon (AEDT) on Saturday and will spend five days in Hobart.

Greens leader Bob Brown has promised the Steve Irwin a warm reception, and he wants Mr Garrett to be there in person.

"I think it would be fantastic, he would have 21 million Australians behind him if he did that," Senator Brown told AAP, adding the symbolism would seen to be very strong in Tokyo.

Before entering politics Mr Garrett was a leading figure in the conservation movement, serving on Greenpeace's international board and as the president of the Australian Conservation Foundation. He also sang environmental protest songs with rock band Midnight Oil.

But as environment minister, some green groups have accused him of going soft on issues such as whaling.

He decided not to send out an Australian ship to monitor the Japanese fleet this whaling season, and a promise to take Japan to the International Court of Justice has not yet eventuated.

Sea Shepherd founder Captain Paul Watson said he would like to meet Mr Garrett in Hobart.

"He'd certainly be welcome, but I'd be very surprised," Capt Watson told AAP.

A spokesman for Mr Garrett said he would not be in Hobart to welcome the anti-whalers.

"The minister has no plans to travel to Hobart," he said.

The anti-whaling activists plan to return to Antarctic waters after their Hobart pit-stop to continue chasing the Japanese fleet.

Sea Shepherd activists threw rotten butter bombs at the Japanese ships when they clashed late last year, and the group has been accused of ramming and sinking whaling ships in the past.

The Japanese fleet plans to kill about 1,000 whales this summer, using a loophole in a 1986 global whaling moratorium that allows "lethal research" on the ocean giants.

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/garrett-should-meet-sea-shepherd-greens-20090115-7hnb.html