Anti-whalers pan govt inaction on whaling

Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd is accusing the Australian government of failing to take action against Japanese whalers.

The environmental group claims its Bob Barker ship was ambushed by two Japanese harpoon vessels in the Southern Ocean about 5.15pm on Sunday.

The harpoon ships crossed the bow of the Bob Barker 11 times, towing steel cable to try and disable the propeller and rudder of the conservation ship in the third such attack this year, the Sea Shepherd says.

Sea Shepherd says the Australian government knew an attack was imminent but did nothing.

Bob Barker Captain Peter Hammarstedt says he wrote an open letter to Environment Minister Greg Hunt expressing disappointment at the government's inaction over recent attacks on his ship and crew but his plea went unanswered.

"Hunt's broken promises to monitor the whaling operations are evident in the broken bodies of the whales killed today," he said in a statement.

"I can say without a doubt that the Australian government has failed in its duty to take any action against the poachers of the Japanese whaling fleet.

"The Australian government has abandoned not only the whales of the Southern Ocean, but also the brave Australian citizens who have stood up to protect them."

Environment Minister Greg Hunt ordered an investigation into earlier claims a Sea Shepherd vessel was rammed by the whalers in New Zealand waters on February 2.