Japan ultimatum demanded

Perhaps hoping to gain credibility on matters environmental Liberals are talking tough on whaling:

Shadow minister for the environment Greg Hunt says Mr Rudd should call for an end to slaughter of the "majestic creatures".

"Mr Rudd made a promise to the Australian people not once or twice but 13 times before being elected that he would take Japan to the International Court over whaling," he said.

"He must now raise it in person with the Prime Minister of Japan and give them an ultimatum."

Greens Senator Rachel Siewert chimes in:

How many more whales have to die before the Government makes up its mind if it is going to take legal action against Japan.

Mr Rudd's threats to take legal action are laughable. His Government has been using the same lines for the last two seasons, just as the Coalition did before them, and Australians don't believe him.

Yes, let's go legal, that always works out well. Or we could perhaps threaten to go all sad and whiny if the harvest of tasty whales isn't stopped immediately. Or perhaps we should threaten to stop buying Landcruisers and big-screen LCD and plasma TVs -- my Jeep and 25 year-old CRT TV suit me fine.

If the Japanese want to maintain their tradition of killing and eating whales why not just leave them to it? Surely we have more important things to worry about.