English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:607;Page:4193] 
4.  
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Would the New Zealand Government change its view opposing military action to disarm Iraq in the event of Iraq using biological or chemical weapons; if not why not? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) 
: 
 As spokespersons for other Governments have observed that question is hypothetical. Our opposition was to unilateral military action. The use by any nation of chemical biological weapons would almost certainly be regarded as a breach of international peace and security and as such the Security Council would be bound to address how to restore international peace and security. 
Hon Bill English 
: Does that mean that she intends to follow the lead of a number of spokespeople for the French Government who have said that if Saddam Hussein starts using chemical or biological weapons that would “change completely the situation for the French Government”? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Of course it creates a new situation that the Security Council should address. I note that the member cannot decide whether troops should be sent at the moment. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Rather than wait around for something that may or may not happen has she made her Government’s view clear to the Iraq Government that should it use biological or chemical weapons her Government would then make the appropriate response? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The New Zealand Government is totally opposed to the use of biological or chemical weapons as are all those many many countries that have signed UN conventions. In our view the UN Security Council would almost certainly regard that as a situation where force would need to be used under Article 42. 
Rod Donald 
: Does the Prime Minister agree that a United States military invasion of Iraq is the single most likely event to cause Iraq to use chemical or biological weapons if it has them in which case—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will not warn Dr Lockwood Smith again. Members can ask their questions in silence. That is part of our democratic process. The member will be able to ask his question in silence. Every member has that right. Please start again. 
Rod Donald 
: Does the Prime Minister agree that a United States military invasion of Iraq is the single most likely event to cause Iraq to use chemical or biological weapons if it has them; in which case anyone opposed to the use of those weapons—as I am sure the National Party is—should oppose this illegal unjust war; if not why not? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Clearly Iraq is preparing to fight but there are mixed views as to whether it would use such weapons. Dr Blix has opined that he thinks on balance it would not. Others have said that it might. However in our view no such use of such weapons can ever be condoned. They should never be used. 
Hon Bill English 
: Even if the Prime Minister regards this as a matter that should be dealt with by the UN does that mean it makes no difference to New Zealand’s stance over the war or that it would change New Zealand’s stance over the war? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Our objection is to unilateralism just as the member’s was last week. 
Rod Donald 
: Will the Government be making the strongest possible representations to the United States to ask it not to use nuclear weapons in Iraq given that the US has declared that it is prepared to use nuclear weapons if it is confronted by chemical or biological weapons; if not why not? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The Government is totally opposed to the use of any weapons of mass destruction by any country for any reason. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I call question No. 5. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I thought that Mr Lockwood Smith called for a supplementary question which he is entitled to do. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Yes and the rules are that the ACT party for example has eight supplementary questions. It can use them up when it wishes. The National Party has a supplementary question on every question and when a member asks a question it has a second supplementary question which it has had. If the National Party is prepared for Dr Lockwood Smith to ask one it then forgoes one of its other questions. Does the whip want to have Dr Lockwood Smith ask a question? [ 
Interruption 
] That is fair enough. That is perfectly acceptable. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: How does she describe to this Parliament or claim in this Parliament the success of the United Nations weapons inspections process when it seems that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction deployable within 48 hours? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The member has no evidence of that whatsoever.