VZCZCXRO0366
PP RUEHPT
DE RUEHBY #0744/01 2240745
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 120745Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1905
INFO RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3649
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0073
RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE 6596
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 4861
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 4847
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 000744 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/EGC, OES/OA PHELPS, COMMERCE PLEASE PASS 
NOAA, WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2019 
TAGS: SENV KGHG EFIS PGOV AS
SUBJECT: PETER GARRETT ON WHALING, CLIMATE CHANGE 
 
REF: A. CANBERRA 574 
     ¶B. CANBERRA 732 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Daniel A. Clune, Reasons 1.4(b)(d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary:  Environment, Culture, Heritage and Arts 
Minister Peter Garrett is cautiously optimistic that progress 
can be made with Japan on Southern Ocean whaling.  Garrett 
again extended an offer to have U.S. marine researchers join 
the Southern Ocean science program announced last year. 
Encouraged by the pace of action on climate change in 
Washington, Garrett believes that the Copenhagen UNFCCC talks 
will be a success.  In Garrett's view, the Opposition will 
defeat climate change legislation this week but give in and 
pass the legislation in November.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Charge hosted Environment, Culture, Heritage and 
Arts Minister Peter Garrett for breakfast on August 11. 
Garrett, returning to Canberra after the winter parliamentary 
recess, shared his views on whaling, climate change, and 
domestic political pressure on the opposition in a 
wide-ranging and friendly discussion, and sought closer 
engagement with the U.S. in developing strategies to address 
these issues. 
 
WHALING 
------- 
 
¶3. (C/NF) On whaling, Garrett said he was cautiously 
optimistic that there is room for some progress with Japan 
over the next twelve months.  Recognizing the distance 
between both sides' positions, Garrett believes dealing with 
the issue on a scientific basis and not as a moral or 
sovereignty issue holds promise, as it could avoid further 
"nationalist" responses.  Garrett said that he personally did 
not support negotiation of a "deal" with the GOJ in which 
they were permitted to conduct coastal whaling, especially if 
it did not result in the cessation of whaling in the Southern 
Ocean.  Garrett said he was personally more committed to 
ending whaling than the foreign affairs experts negotiating 
with Japan, and that Australia believed recent USG statements 
on whaling were "crucial."  Garrett again formally extended 
an offer (first made to the Secretary on the margins of the 
Arctic Treaty Consultative Meetings in April) to include U.S. 
researchers in non-lethal Southern Ocean Research Partnership 
funded by the Australian and New Zealand governments (ref A). 
 Garrett said that he believes the likely DPJ victory in the 
upcoming election is an opportunity to impress upon new 
leadership that this is a chance to break with the policies 
of the past and reset the GOJ view on whaling as a science 
and sustainable use issue.  Garrett did not discuss the 
possibility of legal action against Japan, but said that he 
felt the next twelve months were the window of opportunity to 
engage positively on whaling. 
 
CLIMATE CHANGE 
-------------- 
 
¶4. (C/NF) Although Garrett does not handle climate change for 
the GOA, he pressed the Charge for views on the progress at 
the Copenhagen talks.  Charge Clune reviewed the points A/S 
Campbell made on August 7 in Cairns and noted the strong 
possibility of passage of domestic legislation in Congress by 
the end of the year.  Garrett agreed that there was a good 
chance for progress but expressed concern that Copenhagen was 
too important to fail.  He added that domestic support for a 
future climate deal could wane if it was not sufficiently 
ambitious.  Garrett then turned to domestic climate change 
Qambitious.  Garrett then turned to domestic climate change 
legislation in Australia (ref B), saying the Opposition would 
defeat the legislation this week but could not afford to do 
so again this year.  He confirmed that the double dissolution 
threat was real, and that he knows Opposition Leader Turnbull 
well as they share an electoral boundary.  Garrett felt he 
had understood Turnbull's strategy at one point, but events 
since June, and in particular the posturing of the last few 
days had left him "unsure of what Malcolm is doing."  Garrett 
said he believed there were potential problems trying to link 
separate trading schemes in Australia, the U.S. and Europe if 
they could not deliver sufficient assurance on verifiable 
emissions reductions. 
 
¶5. (C/NF) Comment:  Garrett, who has been under fire from 
 
CANBERRA 00000744  002 OF 002 
 
 
green groups for his decisions on environmental approval of 
controversial investments like the 4-Mile uranium mine, 
appeared relaxed and in command on the range of issues in his 
portfolio.  While there has been some speculation that he 
could lose some or all of his portfolio if a cabinet 
reshuffle takes place later this year, he is the most famous 
face in a Cabinet full of long-service ALP politicos, and 
does not seem concerned about his future prospects.  His 
views on whaling offer a contrast to the views held by the 
Department of Foreign Affairs, where there is more pessimism 
about the incoming Japanese government and the possibility of 
successful engagement.  End Comment. 
 
Clune