The whaling ban Freo council rejected

by Gabriel Tan

May 5, 2008

FREMANTLE council on April 23 unanimously voted against the proposed ban of all Japanese products and services.

Under the pretence of scientific research, the Japanese government has allowed whaling operations to continue in Australian waters. Fremantle council proposed to ban the purchase of all Japanese products and services to persuade the Japanese government and other whaling nations to cease whaling.

Fremantle Mayor Peter Tagliaferri told eMU News the council’s decision to vote against the ban was a logical but difficult one.

“The council deemed the proposal to be a flawed way of supporting the anti-whaling message,” he said. “The difficulty in implementing such a policy is trying to define what a Japanese product is.”

Had the policy been approved, several businesses in Fremantle would have been affected.  However, many traders in Fremantle were unaware that an issue of such importance had been discussed.

Kat (surname withheld), a service assistant at New Edition Bookshop, was surprised at the approach taken by the council.

“I’m against whaling operations but banning food products is not an effective way to send a message,” she said. “I reckon the government should cut the political red tape and get more involved.”

With the defeat of the proposal, Councillor Jon Strachan has promised other alternatives will be adopted to promote Fremantle’s anti-whaling position.

“We intend to tell Japanese officials during functions that we do not approve of their whaling operations,” he said. “I believe every effort should be made to ensure that whaling in Australian waters is not welcomed.”