Australia discussed cutting a secret deal with Japan to accept a continued whale hunt as it publicly moved to bring Tokyo before an international court, the latest WikiLeaks cables reveal.
US diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks show that as late as February last year, Australia was willing to compromise with Japan, but the deal had to result in a much lower level of whaling and exclude the hunt from waters near Antarctica, Fairfax newspapers report.
A compromise was discussed that would see Japan kill 5000 fewer whales over 10 years and larger varieties such as humpbacks not be taken.
The cables also show former environment minister Peter Garrett warned the US ambassador in Canberra on February 5 last year Labor felt boxed in by moves by the Greens in parliament to examine Japanese spy flights over anti-whaling ships.
Mr Garrett said the flights had strengthened the anti-whaling mood in Australia and made it difficult for the government to compromise with Japan.
Two weeks later, then prime minister Kevin Rudd publicly called for an end to the hunt.
At the same time, Australian diplomats were urging politicians to strike a deal.
In January last year, Paula Watt, of the marine environment section of the Foreign Affairs Department, told the US that Japan was using tough tactics in the negotiations, but for any deal to be acceptable to Australia, it must include a minimum number of whales saved, suggesting 5000 over 10 years, Fairfax reports.
But in later cables she said efforts to strike a deal had "bounced off" Mr Garrett and his staff.
The revelations come as the federal government is under pressure from the coalition and Australian Greens to stop Japan's whale hunt in the Southern Ocean.
Both the opposition and the Greens also want the government to take a watchdog role following clashes between anti-whaling protesters and the Japanese whaling fleet at the weekend.