FOR P~ RESS 19 IMARC!! 1978
INQUIRY INTO WHALES AND WHALING
The Government's concern to preserve and conserve the many
species of whales is w-ell known. Australia has played a major
part in instituting procedures in the International haling
Commission designed to achieve this aim, and in fact a moratorium
has been declared on the taking of certain species.
In accordance with an earlier commitment, the Government is
proceeding to establish an Inquiry to examine and report upon
Australia's policies on whales and whali ' ng. The Inquiry will
examine all available evidence and arguments, and miake
reconmmendations on the best way in which Australia might pursue
its policy of preservation and conservation of whales.
The Inquiry will be asked to examine particularly whether
Australian whaling, should continue or cease, the consequences for
international whalingy of Australia's decision, and the operations
of international reguLlatory mechanisms in so far as these bear
on Australia's concern for preservation and conservation of whales.
Terms of reference for the Inquiry are attached.. These have been
discussed with interested parties, including both conservationists
and whaling industry representatives.
It is essential that all interested parties have an opportunity to
contribute to the Inquiry. It will be open to the Inquiry to hold
public sessions, and submissions will be sought from the general
public, scientific experts, conservation groups and whaling
interests as well as Commonwealth and State Government Departments
and agencies.
The Inquiry will also be able to draw on international expertise.
This could include bringing experts to Australia or overseas travel
by the Inquiry, but details are still to be determined in
conjunction with the head of the Inquiry.
The Inquiry will be conducted by the Honourable Sir Sydney Frost.
Sir Sydney, formerly a Queen's Counsel at the Victorian Bar, took
up an appointment in 1964 as a Judge of the Supreme Court of
Papua New Guinea. On the independence of Papua New Guinea in 1975,
he was appointed as its first Chief Justice,-a position from which
he retired late last year.
Sir Sydney will have the support of scientific advisers and a
Secretariat. He has been asked to report in September or as soon
as possible thereafter. 00--
InNp1x~ 0,' L~ 1 HA 1 1G
1. The ury shall cexazrne and report upon
A us{ r aIi a ' s pol iicS on Whale. s an. wa. rr. It shallmk
recommrrenOdations~ oni th'e best way in which Alistralia Mir,' t
pursue ilks plc c preservation and conser-vation of the
many, species of whales ( also known as cetacea).
2. The Inqiairy shall. in particular examaine:
0 whether Australian whalingy should continue or
cease;
0 the consequences for international whalinC>
of Australia's decision;
international regrulatory mechanisms in so far
as These bear on Australia's concern for
preservation and. conservation of whal1-e s.
3. ithout limiting i ts scope in any y in cons-idering
Australia's possible actions tha Inquiry shall examinne:
the role of w~ hales in marine ecosystems anethe
impact of past and current whale harvestinga
strategies on the marine environment;
any special features of whales which may make
their conservation inprtnt
significan~ t consequences2 if any, for other
a-reas of conservation, policy;
methods used in taking whales and whAether better
ricthods are, possible.
factors influencing the scale of Au stralian and
vorid whaling activity includlin-the, demand for
products derived whales arid the possibilities
for Substitution;
I I 2.
any Con; CIS1UolCoS feTor AustraLa-I it oT poyiuot atA
industr-c al ( leveloppicmt, particuliarly ir Albariv
the irnnlic; tions of Australia's policics on 200
rautic> KlL fish: i.-c, anim economic zones in
Australiil w; aters, including those aljanccnt to
the Aistrzlii-an Antarctic Territory;
foreign relations aspects;
any other considerations relevant to whales and
whaling.