Benson-Pope David: New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Disarmament and Arms Control (Nuclear Propulsion Reform) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Benson-Pope David: New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Disarmament and Arms Control (Nuclear Propulsion Reform) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:627;Page:22110] 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister of Fisheries) 
: 
 It is a real pleasure to have the opportunity to take a brief call on this most significant bill. I have been heartened by some of the comments we have heard in the House over the last little while. Like most New Zealanders I am very proud of this country’s nuclear-free status and our very clear and consistent policy over the years—more than two decades—to maintain that policy. I guess that for most New Zealanders that nuclear-free status has become a clear part of our national identity; one that we treasure as something that is unique about our position in the world. We are nuclear-free and we are proud of it. 
I must say that one of the pleasures of being a member of this House is seeing the effect that that position has along with other statements of our international integrity when we have the opportunity to talk with parliamentarians and people from other countries. It is an often-stated cliché that New Zealand punches above its weight. That is certainly true in terms of international politics and I think we should be very proud because we have that integrity that independence and we make our own calls about our foreign policy. That is in no way to denigrate our relationship with other countries. It is essential that we do develop good-operating cooperative relationships with everyone in the world where that is possible. But the fundamental essential for this nation—as for any other independent nation—is for our foreign policy to be decided by sovereign elected members and the citizens of New Zealand. That is the position we hold and that is why our nation of 4 million people in the southern Pacific Ocean has the international respect that it does in so many areas of world activity. 
I guess we all acknowledge that in most recent times that respect stems from the political interventions of people like Norman Kirk; of leaders of this country such as David Lange and most recently the superb leadership we have from our current Prime Minister. I think most New Zealanders would acknowledge that this country has been put back on the international stage by those interventions and by that activity. 
I was pleased that my colleague Martin Gallagher mentioned earlier the issue of port closures to nuclear ships including in the United States. I think it is a telling criticism of the ACT bill and a telling criticism of the American policy itself in fact that even some of America’s own key ports such as Boston and New York are closed to the sorts of vessels that were referred to earlier—not just London Sydney the port of Otago Port Chalmers and other ports around the world. 
I say to Mr Shirley that I am glad my parliamentary colleague Mr Locke did refute some of the extraordinary comments he made about the safety of nuclear power and the use of nuclear energy. I do not know where Mr Shirley has been! 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: Read the literature. 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I have read the literature. I have read the literature in several languages about Chernobyl and I taught in Germany at the time when there were continued demonstrations about nuclear storage and waste disposal in Gorleben. I read the German and English literature about the failure of nuclear plants in France and in Germany. So I say to Mr Shirley that like a lot of his policies I find no connection between the proposed legislation and the reality of the literature as he tells it or recent history in terms of the dangers and the failures of nuclear power-plants and nuclear waste disposal in many parts of the world. 
With regard to the position of the opposing parties I guess I would agree with Mr Gallagher that the one redeeming factor of the ACT policy is that at least it is upfront unlike its extremist friends in the National Party who have about six positions that we can calculate on this issue; about five positions on related issues around Iraq; and as for tax well they are breaking their promises there already. The fact of the matter is that the Opposition policies of extreme-right Opposition parties in this House cannot be trusted. Clearly the ACT party—not much longer for this place because of its extremism and because of the fact that its policies have been pirated by the National Party—at least has the integrity to put its policies on the table. Unfortunately Dr Brash and his friends do not have that same honesty but they can none the less be no more trusted. 
I am very pleased to support the position that the Government has taken on this issue. Clearly the Government will not be supporting this bill.