5. Hon CHRIS CARTER (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does the Government support the reintroduction of any commercial whaling?

Hon MURRAY McCULLY (Minister of Foreign Affairs) : No.

Hon Chris Carter: When the Prime Minister said on 13 January that he had an initiative to end Japanese whaling, was the proposal to legalise commercial whaling the solution that he was talking about; if not, what was the Prime Minister’s mysterious initiative?

Hon MURRAY McCULLY: The Prime Minister would have been referring to the New Zealand Government’s policy in relation to whaling. That policy, and the brief that I have given to our representatives at the International Whaling Commission, headed by former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, is to seek the elimination of whaling in the Southern Ocean as quickly as possible. Our participation in the diplomatic process is an attempt to find a significant step in that direction. Can I remind the member that the diplomatic process commenced in mid-2007 when that member was the Minister responsible. At the time, he claimed that that process was a good means to achieve the elimination of whaling. In 2008 his successor as Minister of Conservation, Steve Chadwick, described the process as “a great step forward” for the International Whaling Commission.

Hon Chris Carter: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I asked whether the current proposal was the Prime Minister’s initiative that was announced—but no details were given—on 13 January.

Mr SPEAKER: As I heard it, the Minister’s answer described what the Government’s initiative is, and that seems to me to be a reasonable answer to the question. The member does have further supplementary questions to pursue the matter further.

Hon Chris Carter: Did the Prime Minister actually announce a new initiative on 13 January, as quoted in the media, or is it simply a continuation of existing policies?

Hon MURRAY McCULLY: I do not have the reference in front of me at the moment, but my very clear recollection is that the Prime Minister was referring to the New Zealand Government’s policy, which is to actively participate in the diplomatic process of the International Whaling Commission to seek the elimination of whaling in the Southern Ocean. That policy was pursued by the previous Government also, when that member was the Minister. It was spearheaded by Sir Geoffrey Palmer, a former Prime Minister under a Labour Government.

Hon Chris Carter: Was the proposal that the Prime Minister raised on 13 January as a bold new initiative—which he was going to share with Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, who was due to arrive the following day—the same policy that the previous Government was pursuing, or was it a return to limited commercial whaling?

Hon MURRAY McCULLY: As that member would know better than most, the International Whaling Commission process involves a so-called support group of the small working-group having informal discussions to try to find the best way forward. That involves discussions with a range of our partners, including the United States, whose approach to these matters is very similar to New Zealand’s. The policy that the Prime Minister and this Government are pursuing is one of using that diplomatic process to try to achieve an elimination of whaling in the Southern Ocean at the earliest possible time.

Hon Chris Carter: Does the Minister agree with John Key, who was quoted in the Kaikoura Star yesterday as saying that commercial whaling “might be acceptable if it was acceptable to others.”, and can the Minister confirm that both Britain and Australia have expressed opposition to this proposal to offer a limited return to commercial whaling but Japan has welcomed it?

Hon MURRAY McCULLY: I can confirm that Sir Geoffrey Palmer is one of those exploring a range of solutions in the International Whaling Commission process at the present time. The Government of New Zealand has not given Sir Geoffrey any mandate to accept anything other than the previous policies adopted by the Government of which that member was a Minister.

Hon Chris Carter: I seek leave to table a list of the names of 3,188 people, who in the last 6 days have expressed their opposition to the restart of commercial whaling by New Zealand.

Mr SPEAKER: I take it that this is a list the member has compiled himself—just so that members know the source of the document.

Hon Chris Carter: It is an online petition. It has been signed by 3,188 people in just 6 days.

Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.

Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I think it is worth pointing out that there is a proper process for presenting petitions to Parliament, and the member would be well advised to follow it.

Mr SPEAKER: Speaking to the—

Hon Chris Carter: I will do that on Tuesday.

Mr SPEAKER: Well, I guess the member has made his point.