NZ air force monitor Illegal Whalers in the Southern Ocean

NZ air force monitoring Japanese whaling
Wednesday Jan 11 06:22 AEDT
New Zealand air force planes are monitoring clashes between a Japanese whaling fleet and protest ships in Antarctic waters, a NZ cabinet minister said.
But New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter has rejected calls to send a frigate to the area in response to reports that Japan may send armed police or troops to guard the fleet which is catching whales in the Southern Ocean.
New Zealand described the Japanese threat as a "hysterical reaction" to confrontations, no I don't think so myself and if Australia does nothing then I think we are a weak and spineless country; good on ya Kiwis.
Does anyone seriously believe Robert Hill when he says the federal government had not had any request from Japan to use Australian airports to fly police aircraft over the area?
There was a huge article in the Australian newspaper about it no smoke without fire I always say.
Regarding the kiwis I understand their concern about their nationals aboard the Greenpeace vessels only too well; why some years ago the arrogant French actually got aboard one in a New Zealand Harbour and killed two crew members
Mr. Carter told Radio New Zealand that air force maritime surveillance aircraft had been flying over the area for some weeks for two reasons.
"One, we are totally opposed to the whaling program and we have made that clear to the Japanese. We want to see what they are up to.
"And secondly we are really concerned about the New Zealanders on board the Greenpeace boats."
Greenpeace claims the Arctic Sunrise was rammed by a Japanese ship on Sunday, leaving it with a dent in its hull and a bent mast, while the whalers blamed the protesters for the collision. And for killing illegally 920 whales for research of course; I mean the meat would never appear on a dining table in Japan surely not; can they just not eat seaweed salad like I eat proper salad? Lol. Seriously now the poor old Whale eats Krill and such.
"The waters south of New Zealand and Australia down to the Antarctic are a whale sanctuary, yet the Japanese whalers ignore this and continue with their barbaric practice."
And I reckon that we can at least send a ship down to the southern Ocean and not just to observe either fly a few flags that's the shot with go home on them or we wont buy anymore of your motor vehicles lol.
Seriously they are flouting international agreements and I think but am not certain that Norway wishes to get back into the fray against the poor Whale.