Australia 19th February 2009...

The federal opposition has accused the Rudd Government of waving the white flag over Japanese whaling

The opposition's environment spokesman Greg Hunt says Environment Minister Peter Garrett's comments in a speech to the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Wednesday night indicates the government had "given up" on the issue.

Mr Garrett said while legal action remained an option, the government believed greater progress could be made through diplomatic efforts.

"Our long-term objective remains a complete ban on commercial whaling, including an end to so-called scientific whaling," Mr Garrett said.

Mr Hunt said the remarks showed the government had moved from promising tough court action on eight occasions during the election campaign, to a "vague, long-term hope".

"I would say it's a white flag on whaling and a complete victory for Japan ," Mr Hunt said.

"We're astounded by the speech, it's absolutely clear that they have completely given up on any effective approach to Japanese whaling.

"They have moved from a commitment to stopping Japanese whaling to a very sort of vague long-term hope that they might one day deal with it.

"It will be an extraordinary disappointment for any Australian who is concerned about whaling."

Iceland will maintain its new whaling quota of 150 fin and up to 150 minke whales this year despite international calls for it to reconsider the sixfold catch increase, the government said on Wednesday.

"It is our conclusion that the decision on whaling remains unchanged for this year," Fisheries Minister Steingrimur Sigfusson told reporters, adding that no decision had been taken for the coming four years.

Seven countries - Britain, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States - sent a letter to the new government last week urging it to review the decision.

"We realise that this might lead to harsh criticism and even acts against Iceland and we will have to react to that," Sigfusson told AFP.

Prior to the announcement of the increased catch, Iceland, which pulled out of an international whaling moratorium in 2006 after 16 years, had a quota of just nine fin whales and 40 minke whales per year.

Iceland and Norway are the only two countries in the world that authorise commercial whaling. Japan officially hunts whales for scientific purposes, which are contested by opponents, and the whale meat is sold for consumption.

Then what did you mean by this?

Hey, I got a great idea! Let's all tell the second largest market in the world we're breaking diplomatic ties with them, canceling our free trade agreement, and imposeing economic sanctions! This kind of pressure will surely work!

Of course they're doing it for commercial purposes. But as long as they do it under the guise of research it's completely legal. And there are scientific results which they've released. You don't think the Japanese are stupid enough to not provide a convincing smokescreen to their commercial whaling operation do you?

"I'm 22, and at least I know how to write in paragraphs... not to mention, at least I can read; I never said to place sanctions on Japan."

Attack the writer is the best you can do "at least"? You might know how to write in paragraphs, I'm sure that will get you far in the world, but you will always remain a trumped up, ill mannered and immature little snot in my eyes who has a simplified and juvenile outlook and if they ban me for saying it...GREAT, I welcome it.

You are not going to get banned for saying it, but it isn't a path to enlightenment, so to speak.

I am already at the enlightened stage MMM, hehehe. Since reading the original words of wisdom from the child, I was looking for a way to unsubscribe, to kill off my profile but for the life of me I cannot see how to do it. Any ideas? To just not come back is not enough, I want to sever the tie irrevocably and permanently.

You'd have to ask an admin about that. We'd hate to lose you, though.

Sent to webmaster already.

"Hello, my name is David Carr and my ID on JF.com is djevvy. My request is that you please unsubscribe my account and delete my profile forthwith from your site. I thought JF might be free of some of the more malignant characters one finds on more generalised forums but alas, the cancer is here too and besides that I am having a great deal of difficulty on here because as you can see I cannot write in paragraphs... sob... sob. Hehe, really, just delete me and I thank you for having me. Regards, David Carr."

Cheers MMM, thanks for the acknowledgement and thoughtful words, strength to you.

What? You're mental

Except.... it's not illegal. What part of they're exploiting a loophole in the ruling do you not understand.

What's not included in the loophole?

What are you talking about?

Do you even know what a loophole is?