The new Australian PM has taken steps to make it easier to use the Australian armed forces to monitor Japanese whaling activities.
The Rudd Government has already moved to remove legal impediments to any challenge, with cabinet agreeing last week to dump the Howard government's legal opposition to the move.
Although whaling is banned, each year a Japanese fleet kills hundreds of minke whales, claiming the slaughter is for scientific study. In fact, the whale flesh is sold in restaurants throughout Japan. This year, the whalers also intend to kill humpback whales.
The Howard administration condemned the hunt. But while it worked hard through the International Whaling Commission to prevent Japanese attempts to overturn the whaling ban, it failed to confront the Japanese fleet in Australian-controlled Antarctic waters.
Mr Rudd vowed his Government would use the navy to collect evidence against the whalers.
Other then annoying the Japanese, I don't see too many negatives in doing this.
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