The Hon. Stephen Smith, MP
The Hon Stephen Smith MP
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

E&OE

17 January 2008, Perth

Doorstop Interview

Subjects: Southern Ocean Incident

SMITH: Thanks for turning up.

I wanted to, as I indicated this morning, to [provide an] update on matters in the Southern Ocean and also to indicate the Australian Government's response to the Japanese Government request to render assistance in the transfer of the two men from the Japanese whaling vessel back to the Steve Irwin.

But, before I deal with those matters, can I just firstly say how shocked and saddened I was at the death of Trevor Sprigg. Can I extend my condolences and sympathy to his family and his friends. Trevor was a well regarded, well respected member of the Western Australian community and the Western Australian football community and our deepest sympathy goes to his family and friends on what was a shock and very saddening event for all of us.

That context has somewhat saddened, expectedly, the election of Troy Buswell as Leader of the State Parliamentary Liberal Party. Can I offer my congratulations to him, it's an honour to be elected leader of any political party, State or Federal. So my congratulations go to him and I'm sure Troy and his colleagues will be shocked and saddened by Trevor's sudden death. So, my sympathies are generally extended to his Parliamentary and Liberal Party colleagues.

If I can now just deal with the matter at hand so far as the Southern Ocean is concerned.

The Government has decided to use the Oceanic Viking to transfer the Australian, Benjamin Potts, and the British national, Giles Lane, from the Japanese whaling vessel the Yushin Maru II back to the Steve Irwin. This, of course, will require the cooperation of the two vessels concerned. The Yushin Maru and the Steve Irwin. It also requires the cooperation of the two Captains concerned, and it will also require the cooperation of the two men concerned, Benjamin Potts and Giles Lane.

We would like the transfer to be effected as quickly as possible but people should understand that this will be a difficult operation. The transfer of men from one ship to another, and then to a third ship in any circumstances is a potentially difficult operation, but this will be a difficult operation occurring as it does in the Southern Ocean and it will require the cooperation - the full cooperation - of the Captains of the ships and the men themselves.

From the first moment our priority has been the safety, welfare and security of the two men and, as I say, we would like the transfer to occur as quickly as possible. The cooperation and other elements, like the weather, will ultimately impact on the timing and the success of this operation.

Effectively, as we speak, the Oceanic Viking and Australian authorities are endeavouring to contact the two vessels concerned, seeking their full cooperation. This morning I relayed my advice that the Oceanic Viking was in the vicinity of some of the Japanese whaling vessels and within viewing distance of the Yushin Maru II. My advice this afternoon is that the Oceanic Viking is in the vicinity of the vessel, and, as I say, the Oceanic Viking and the authorities are now endeavouring to contact the two vessels and the two Captains seeking their full cooperation to enable the transfer to occur.

Can I just also add that this morning I indicated that I had been advised late last night by the Japanese Government, through our officers in Tokyo, that the condition of the men was safe and well. That was confirmed this morning and it's recently been confirmed again this afternoon. The formal advice from the Japanese authorities is that the men are safe and well.

I'm happy to take your questions. I'll just conclude on this point. This operation will be effected under Australian authority using the Oceanic Viking and it will only be successful if it has the full cooperation of the Japanese whaling vessel, the Steve Irwin, the respective Captains and the two men concerned.

I'm happy to respond to your questions.

JOURNALIST: Inaudible

SMITH: Well, as I've said consistently, I'm not proposing to get into a running commentary about who's saying what to whom or what motives are being ascribed to anyone. But I do note that earlier in the day, the Sea Shepherd, or its various spokespeople, indicated that they were expecting the Australian Government to render some assistance and I think they even mentioned the Oceanic Viking in that respect.

So, the Sea Shepherd and the Steve Irwin, having said that they expected some assistance from the Australian Government, I would now expect their full and complete cooperation in our endeavour to transfer the two men from the Japanese whaling vessel to the Oceanic Viking and subsequently from the Oceanic Viking to the Steve Irwin.

Having called for our assistance, I would now expect their full and complete cooperation. And if we didn't receive their full and complete cooperation, then the Australian community and others can make their own judgements about whatever motivation might be prevailing.

My motivation, the motivation of the Australian Government, is to seek as quickly as possible to secure the transfer so the welfare, the safety and security of the two men concerned is put beyond doubt.

JOURNALIST: Inaudible.

SMITH: The Australian Government and the Japanese Government have been in agreement for effectively nearly the last day that our agreed priority is the safe and secure return of the two men from the Japanese whaling vessel to the Steve Irwin. We are in agreement. When it was clear late yesterday that there was difficulty getting the cooperation between the two Captains and the two vessels, the Japanese Government last night formally requested our assistance. We've looked carefully at what is a difficult issue and we've responded today by saying we will make available and use the Oceanic Viking for that purpose.

So, the Japanese Government and the Australian Government have been at one in wanting, as quickly as possible, the return or transfer of the two men from the Japanese whaling ship to the Steve Irwin. What we now need, as we've required from the first moment, is the full cooperation of the two vessels to enable that to occur in a safe manner.

JOURNALIST: What are the laws regarding the boarding of the ship?

SMITH: I don't stand here as an international lawyer. I've long been a lapsed lawyer. I stand here as the Foreign Minister who said from the first moment that I am not frankly concerned about the legal niceties. The legal niceties will not secure at the earliest available moment the transfer of those two men in a safe and secure condition.

What is required now to transfer those two men is the agreement of the Japanese Government, which we have, the agreement of the Australian Government, which we have. What we now need is the full and complete cooperation of the two vessels, the two Captains and the two men concerned.

JOURNALIST: If they're being petulant why not leave them on the boat?

SMITH: I don't know what the attitude of the two men is so far as being returned to the Steve Irwin. My working assumption has been that they would want to be returned. They will now be asked whether that is the case and whether the Australian authorities and the Oceanic Viking have their full and complete cooperation to do that. And I am hopeful that that will occur. Just as I am hopeful in all the circumstances that the Captains of the two ships will also give their cooperation to a difficult exercise on the high seas.

JOURNALIST: Inaudible

SMITH: Again, I'm not going to give a running commentary on who's done what to whom, suffice to say this, as I've said repeatedly: When the Government first announced its measures, its policy measures so far as the Japanese whaling program was concerned, I said that restraint would be required from all parties. Frankly, I think that restraint has been lacking.

But my call for restraint was because I said from day one, in the Great Southern Ocean we are dealing in a difficult area where the capacity for risk to life and limb is great and the capacity for rescue is low. So people should exercise restraint. I've also made this point. There has been claim and counter claim, allegation and counter allegation and some or all of that has been drawn to the attention of the Australian Federal Police and is being evaluated by the Australian Federal Police. But if it transpires that anyone has engaged in unlawful or illegal activity, then not only do I not condone that, I absolutely condemn it.

But, my overriding priority now, as its been from the first moment that I became aware of the incident, is to secure the safety and welfare and wellbeing of the two men and to get their transfer back to the Steve Irwin as quickly as possible.

We now have the capacity to do that provided we get the full and complete co-operation of all concerned.

JOURNALIST: Inaudible

SMITH: Well, our view on whaling has been crystal clear and our view on whaling is well known to the Japanese Government.

JOURNALIST: Inaudible

SMITH: We would have preferred that everyone concerned would have exercised restraint. I made that point from day one.

Ends

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