Pete Bethune

Wellington, July 13 NZPA - The Government isn't taking kindly to anti-whaling protester Pete Bethune after his caustic claims that New Zealand "rolled over" to the Japanese.

Returning to New Zealand after a Japanese court handed down a two-year suspended jail sentence on several charges that followed his boarding of a whaling ship in the Southern Ocean, Mr Bethune yesterday said he was "disgusted" with the way Foreign Minister Murray McCully had sided with his accusers.

"New Zealand has become like a fat little lap dog. We should be standing up for ourselves," he said.

Prime Minister John Key shot back: "I think he's downright ungrateful. The people in Japan did everything they possible could."

Mr Key said he had a list of the engagement in the case.

"It was very extensive...I stand by the actions of our people in Japan who worked extremely hard to help him through a very difficult process."

Mr McCully, however, was more guarded. His spokesman said the minister was "comfortable" that the Government was taking the right course of action in order to end whaling in the Southern Ocean.

"The Japanese have never previously responded positively towards aggressive behaviour and that's unlikely to change," the spokesman said.