23 June 2008
The Hon Peter Garrett AM
Federal Member for Kingsford Smith
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
E&OE proof only
REPORTER: The concern of some environment groups are that with the
Chair discouraging voting, what this means for some countries by
discouraging any constructive debate.
MINISTER GARRETT: Look, we expect to have constructive debate in the
Commission because we have brought forward really positive proposals
for change. We want this conservation of whales agenda to be seriously
considered.
Past Commissions have been pretty acrimonious and if the Chair is
proposing methods which might have less argument and more debate that
happens in committees and don’t necessarily go to the vote, then we
would work cooperatively with that.
REPORTER: But with no votes, some suggest to a certain extent it is gagging debate.
MINISTER: In the past, votes have been taken and they have had no real
effect. And I think what we want to see is really fair dinkum,
constructive discussion about the issues that are right at the front of
the agenda here – conservation of whales, looking at collaborative
research with other countries, shutting down the loopholes on so called
scientific whaling. Now if the chair wants to let the Commission have
those discussions in a way which doesn’t see resolutions coming onto
the floor, well let’s see how that operates for the next day or two and
we’ll work constructively and cooperatively with him.
REPORTER: So, you’re not too concerned about no votes?
MINISTER: Well, not at this stage because I think that we’re in the
early part of the Commission and what we want to see is how the
emerging debate actually operates through the Commission processes –
the committees and so on. At the end of the day it is not about taking
votes onto the floor which, frankly, don’t bind any countries to do
anything. It is about charting a new course for conservation, having a
cooperative approach to the Commission, and in Australia’s case,
because we’ve brought forward major proposals for reform, ensuring that
there is good discussion about those proposals amongst all countries.
ENDS