One of the advantages of being in opposition is the ability to castigate the government on any issue of public interest - and make promises of firm action should the role of opposition change to that of government.
The only problem is that such promises have a habit of coming back to haunt you.
Such is the case with the Japanese " scientific " programme of harpooning and killing whales - and delivering them to Japanese dinner tables.
Kevin Rudd - and shadow environmental minister Peter Garrett - were scathing on Australia's efforts to stop the slaughter. In particular, they were critical that the Australian surveillance vessel - " Ocean Viking " - remained in port when they considered it should be in the great Southern ocean, harassing Japanese whalers.
One of the problems for a new government is that it's first budget delivers the truth on many things. If funding for those eloquent promises made in opposition fails to appear in the budget - then nothing is going to happen !
There is no funding to take the Japanese to the International Court of Justice - as was promised - and only limited finance for " Ocean Viking " this year - with no further funds committed.
Reality has overtaken rhetoric ! Japan is a major trading partner and - like the previous government - Canberra has been weighing up the damage to trade that could be the result of a too aggressive action on whaling.
The Japanese can tolerate petitions, irate newspaper stories and general abuse from animal lovers, but taking action in the courts and almost naval action on the high seas raises the notch to a higher level.
Canberra has weighed the death of over a thousan whales against the prosperity of trade with Japan - and unfortunately the whales lost that equation !
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