New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully and whaling commissioner Geoffrey Palmer have rebuffed Australian government's criticism that New Zealand is opening the door to commercial whaling, New Zealand media reported on Sunday.

However, McCully said that Garrett is misinformed, and that New Zealand's position is identical to Australia's.

The New Zealand government will consider any plan that brings down the number of whales killed, he said. But there is no concrete proposal on the table yet, he was quoted by Radio New Zealand as saying.

The New Zealand government remains completely opposed to all whaling, McCully said, and will be putting its position forcefully at the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission in June.

Geoffrey, the whaling commissioner, said the New Zealand government hasn't agreed to anything but is open to pursuing options that reduce the numbers of whales killed or bring an end to whaling in the Southern Ocean.

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