However, although Australians generally are opposed to whaling, whether in Australian or international waters, whaling on international waters is legal and will ­remain legal unless, and until, it is banned by the International Court.

Whether we like it or not, Japanese whalers are entitled to hunt and kill whales in international waters.

In boarding the Japanese whaling boat, the three invaders, were trespassing and the Japanese were entitled to keep them in captivity, until such time as they were dealt with under Japanese law.

The Australian Prime Minister, with her usual knee-jerk reaction, demanded that the Japanese ­release them immediately, and, ­after the Japanese agreed to ­release them, dispatched a custom boat, at a cost of $1 million to Australian taxpayers, to collect them and bring them back to Australia.

The Greens are claiming that the invasion was justified, and Sea Shepherd unilaterally moved both boats into Australian waters at the time of the invasion, when it is generally agreed that the offence occurred in international waters.

I object to paying for the ratbag antics of three trouble makers, who are not prepared to compensate the people of Australia for expenses incurred by Australian taxpayers because of those antics.

The Australian government should have left them on the whaler and suggested they be dropped off by the Japanese at Christmas Island, when the Japanese boats are returning to Japan, at the end of the whaling season.

— BILL BUCKPITT,

Wodonga