Anderton Jim: Motions — Nuclear-Free Legislation—20th Anniversary 
Anderton Jim: Motions — Nuclear-Free Legislation—20th Anniversary 
[Volume:639;Page:9772] 
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Leader—Progressive) 
: 
 The Progressive party supports this resolution. I must say that I thought the ACT party supported it but the previous speech must be the most amazingly half-hearted one in favour of the resolution and against nuclear proliferation that I have ever heard. 
As an agricultural-based economy we need a nuclear accident like we need a hole in the head and that was one of the driving forces originally in this legislation. The year 1987 was remarkable for New Zealand: KZ7 sailed for the America’s Cup the All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup and our nuclear-free laws became part of New Zealand’s identity. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our nuclear laws I hope we will hear echoes of the other great achievements of 1987 later this year. There is a lot to recall when we look back down the dusty roads and winding years that brought us to the nuclear-free law. 
I recall that the law for all its popularity today was not easily won. I recall that Fernando Pereira died aboard the Rainbow Warrior which had been campaigning in the Pacific against nuclear tests. I remember that public opinion took its time to come around to the antinuclear view—so did the National Party I might say. I remember the opprobrium heaped on those of us on the front lines in the battle for this law and I remember a list that contains the names of many of my parliamentary colleagues including the Prime Minister in this Government. Marilyn Waring showed extraordinary courage in virtually bringing down a Government over the nuclear issue. 
Among the public there was more courage. I recall the sailors whom I joined who took their boats on to our harbours in order to state their opposition. I recall going out on a 35-foot keeler when the nuclear-powered nuclear-armed submarine  
Pintado 
 came into the Waitemata Harbour. I was out there when the  
New Zealand Herald  
took a photo of a young kid on a windsurfer confronting its awesome size and power—just a kid against the might power and enormous black threat of a nuclear-armed submarine; just a person standing alone saying no. The  
New Zealand Herald  
put the photo on its front page under the heading “The courage of peace”. In that same year I went to Canada and talked at the Vancouver centennial peace conference. I showed the audience that front page and there was a spontaneous standing ovation from 80000 people. Kids sent me cards from all over Canada thanking New Zealand for having the courage to say no to nuclear weapons. 
When this law was passed 20 years ago I stood in this House and said that the passage of the law was the culmination of years of commitment of an intelligent analysis of the issues involved and of the courage on the part of thousands of New Zealanders who had protested against nuclear weapons from the time they were first used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I said that the bill was a tribute to all those New Zealanders who were loyal to their nation in their dissent and that included tens of thousands of Labour Party members of the day who were staunch in their opposition to nuclear weaponry. I continue to believe that the bill stands as a tribute to them today. 
When we remember this bill we might remember that even inside the Labour Party at the time there were those who had to be strongly encouraged to support the law. I recollect going on television as president of the Labour Party the night after the 1984 election and insisting that this bill would be passed as a priority for the incoming Government. I recollect very clearly that a few of my colleagues thought that I should not have insisted on stating Labour policy so explicitly. David Lange rightly deserves special credit for championing New Zealand’s nuclear-free status but I always said there was some irony in this because his initial stance was less fulsomely opposed. 
Attempts were made of course to bully New Zealand when we passed our legislation. I always have a strong personal regard for the way our Commonwealth cousins the Canadians respected and supported our right to make our own decisions. Many years later we have put aside the struggles of those days and I welcome that. But the need for this law is as urgent as it ever was. The nuclear threat is as present and as desperate as it ever was. Last week we had the obscene threat of a new nuclear arms race in Europe. President Putin’s threat to aim nuclear weapons at Europe was a shameful deterioration from the brink of hope that we reached at the end of the cold war. 
Just this week an international conference is under way in Miami discussing ways to prevent nuclear terrorism. The prospect that terrorists might get hold of nuclear weapons is deeply troubling and it drives home the need to keep the pressure on against nuclear proliferation. The more nuclear weapons there are the more certain it is that they will be used by someone sometime. It is not only terrorists who pose a grave threat however. When North Korea tested a nuclear bomb this year we entered the age where nuclear weapons are in the hands of fanatics. This was a tragedy for New Zealand too because we had been part of the global effort to keep nuclear weapons out of North Korea’s hands. 
Since our nuclear-free law was passed the world has swooped dangerously close to nuclear confrontation. India and Pakistan came close to a conflict at the end of the 20th century. Of course our nuclear legislation was never going to have an effect on confrontations like those but what we could hope to do was to inspire others with the promise of peace. We can show that a country can walk outside the nuclear umbrella and still not be threatened or suffer economic pressure. It is sad for us that more countries have not followed New Zealand’s lead. Now Iran is developing a nuclear capacity. If it develops weapons then others in that region will follow. I ask members to imagine nuclear-armed Israel being confronted by a nuclear-armed Hezbollah. If nuclear weapons proliferate we will surely see them used again one day and they will be used against masses of civilians. Civilisation is owed better than that. 
 New Zealand can stand only as a symbol of sanity. Our nuclear-free law is the best that we can offer the world. I never agreed with those who said our policy was not for export. I wanted other countries to be inspired by our example and I saw many that were. I want the world to see that we do not need nuclear arms that we can say no and that we can do better. So I celebrate our nuclear-free law as the most profound contribution New Zealand can make to a more peaceful world. 
When I spoke in the third reading debate on this legislation in June 1987 I said its passage through the House was a proud moment for New Zealand. It remains a proud moment today. Nuclear weapons made us rethink everything about war. We should never be afraid to rethink old ways. Today the world faces new challenges that we barely understood in 1987. The passage of the nuclear-free bill was a statement of our determination as a country to commit to the future of our planet and everyone and everything that lives on it. Our commitment to accepting the challenge of climate change is motivated by a comparable idealism and we need equally far-sighted solutions. 
The passing of this law stands as a great day in New Zealand’s modern history. I am proud of having been there to vote for it. I am proud of having fought for the policy inside this House and earlier inside the Labour Party and on New Zealand streets and harbours. I believe that our confidence in the success of the law has been vindicated. 
Many people all over the world including Governments recognise that New Zealand’s standing firm for the values of peace in a safer world is inherent in our antinuclear stance. I believe that the time will come when even our very very good friends in the United States will thank New Zealanders for their antinuclear stance. We will see it having enhanced security in the world including the United States itself. I believe that our friends will one day say: “Actually you were right and we thank you for your courage in standing firm.” That day will not come immediately but I believe it will come before the next 20th anniversary of the Act. Mr Dunne was kind enough to suggest that I might be here then; whether I should be here is another matter of course—time will tell. But all New Zealanders will look forward to that day. In the meantime we will continue to develop our relationships internationally and stand as people committed to the values of global peace and the progressive removal of weapons that threaten all humanity.