National government is renown for not giving a damn about wildlife and conservation, they are only in power to feather the nests of their greedy rich mates, and if this means trading with the japs and extinction of whales so be it!. Get rid of the national party PRONTO!, before they bring the nation down in a crumble pile of trash.
I have a little hope that John Key might see the sense of aligning itself with Australia on the whaling issue. Murray McCully on the other hand would do anything to avoid a confrontation (on any issue) and is poorly suited for the role of Foreighn Minister. The post appears to be a reward for being the long term National party strategist. Personally I would have thought that Tim Grosser was better qualified for the Foreign Affairs portfolio
Bottom line is if we wish to see certain Whales species not end up on the extinction list within the next few years we absolutely MUST put a stop to whaling. We are dealing with total extinction of a living species, that's the big picture and is scares me to think we live in a world where its culture vs. extinction. I lived in Japan and believe me when I say that whaling being an important part of Japanese culture is a total myth. In all my time there not one single Japanese person I met who were concerned with not getting there whale meat fix for cultural reasons. It's only the very elite rich that actually eat the stuff as it's worth more than most can afford. Whoever argues about Muslims and Pigs and Hindus and Cows tell me please... are these animals close to extinction??
This issue is much more complex than what most New Zealanders think. It's not just as simple as Whales are beautiful and Japanese people are bad for killing them so we should make them stop. To the Japanese whales are just another animal that they eat. The fact that people from other nations tell them any different is to them a matter of culture. The fact that we try to stop the Japanese from doing it seems to the Japanese like us trying to bully them into following our culture. Put it this way - Cows are sacred in India. Killing and eating cows is horrible and wrong to many Indians. If Indians started protesting that NZers should not kill cows and set them free - how would we react? Would we listen? Of course not- we would just tell them that their beliefs are not ours and they should stop trying to push their culture onto us, but probably in far stronger language than that!! I'm strongly against whaling but us NZers telling the Japanese not to hunt whales is just like Muslims telling us not to eat pigs or Indians telling us not to eat cows. To the Japanes it just seems like you are being pushy, arrogant and narrow minded. Who are we to tell them what to eat? This isn't a matter of beating up the bad guys, - it's a matter of cultural differences. People need to be reasonable and build understanding instead of mistrust and anger. The more indignant self-righteous table thumping we do the more we will convince the Japanese that we are just arrogant bullies trying to push them around. There are people doing good work in Japan building up an appreciation for just how amazing and beautiful whales are and growing popular support amongst the average Japanese for Whale protection. We ought to work with Japan on this, not try to stand over them and tell them what to do. Otherwise, how are you any different to the big bully Americans? Really? Think about it!
I agree with Clare, of course I didn't. It is always about saving their butt and not 'upsetting' anyone, no conflict, well you know what that is what Politicians are supposed to do - stand up for what is right and voice what their voters want and I can imagine a vast majority of NZ feels that the whaling thing SUCKS! It is all fueled by greed and money making for sure but we need to start remembering what is really important, without an environment or conscious decisions in life we won't need money because there won't be a bloody planet without many things we need to survive. STOP THE CRUELTY TO ALL ANIMALS AND THE HUNT FOR WHALES & let us not forget the hunting for seals in Canada this needs some support and needs to be stopped as well. Please have a look: http://humanesociety.com/news-releases/1033-end-to-seal-hunt-violence-long-overdue-says-the-humane-society-of-canada-hsc.html & http://humanesociety.com/home.html
Did anyone expect different from National???I did think they'd wait for a second term before selling New Zealand out. But they are proving me wrong. Animal abuse, over fishing, mining protected forrests, Key is raping our country/sea, as Japan is raping the world seas. Were money is deemed the ruling force of decision making, respect and protection of our environment will always lose. Stop voting for them please. I for one don't need the some pay packet if I have to live in a poluted garbage heap.
I am appalled at the weakness in the face of the Japanese shown by our leader. The Japanese care as much for our planet's biodeversity as a bunch of crack addicts in a chemist shop. These whales are our heritage. Not their's. I have a mind to chop down their favourite cherry trees for scientific research. How would they like that.
Oh come on, Kevin Rudd won't do a thing because there is nothing anyone can do to stop Japan. If there was anything anyone could do to stop Japan they would have done it. Persuading the Japanese to cut back and stop allows them to save face and is the only reasonable way out of this mess.
There has to be a means of establishing a sustainable fishing quota of Whales for the Japanese, and other like peoples.These peoples have harvested whales for centuries.We might perhaps resist their"possible" protests on our destructive harvesting of Hoki? Mr Key is approaching the problem with I think, the due care and attention it deserves.
oh do shut up lightseed your full of crap