Last updated: March 16, 2014


National Breaking News

Whaling debate heats up ahead of hunt

THE federal opposition and the Australian Greens are again calling on the government to send a customs ship to monitor expected clashes between Japanese whalers and conservationists in the Southern Ocean.

The Japanese fleet reportedly has left for a reduced whaling season near Antarctica which is expected to begin at the end of December.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt says an Australian customs vessel could help keep the peace and stop the whaling.

"(It will) effectively provide a cop-on-the-beat presence where both sides know there is a third party who will record, who will monitor and who will be in place," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

Both sides were willing to take risks and had pledged to take steps that may well result in violence and collisions at sea.

"It is time to make sure that we simply have a police presence effectively in an area where there is likely to be a conflict."

Mr Hunt said while he supported an end to whaling everybody had to abide by international maritime law.

The Sea Shepherd's newest ship has arrived in Hobart ahead of the conservation group's annual battle with the whalers.

The Sam Simon will join the Steve Irwin, the Bob Barker and the Bridget Bardot.

Greens whaling spokeswoman Rachel Siewert says Labor should use monitoring vessels and aerial surveillance.

"Once again we see the Sea Shepherd driving efforts to protect whales this summer because governments have failed to do so," she said in a statement.

It was unacceptable for the fleet to enter Australia's territorial waters and the government should demand a commitment from Japan that the fleet would steer clear, Senator Siewert said.

But as international law expert Tim Stephens told AAP earlier this year, Canberra can't stop vessels from navigating through Australia's exclusive economic zone, contiguous zone or territorial sea.

"Even in the territorial sea foreign vessels enjoy a right of innocent passage," he said.

Environment Minister Tony Burke on Wednesday said he was "astonished" to hear the opposition suggest a customs vessel be sent to monitor clashes.

"Do they seriously think we should take customs vessels that are involved in intercepting drugs and things like that - take them away from their core business so that they can go down to the Southern Ocean to watch a protest?" he told ABC Radio.

"I can't for the life of me see why having additional witnesses to a demonstration is more important than the significant work that our customs vessels do."