The document summarizes New Zealand's path to becoming a nuclear-free nation, including actions taken against French nuclear testing in the Pacific in the 1970s, growing anti-nuclear sentiment among New Zealanders, and the suspension of the ANZUS alliance after the 1984 Labour government established a nuclear-free policy banning nuclear-armed or powered ships from NZ ports. Key events included Prime Minister Kirk sending ships to protest French tests, a World Court ruling against France, and over 70% public support for the nuclear-free zone by the 1980s.

1. Nuclear free new Zealand

2. French nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll in 1970

3. • In the 1960s and 70s the New
Zealand government took a range
of actions against nuclear testing:
– Monitored radioactive fallout in
Pacific nations (e.g. Cook
Islands, Tokelau).
– Signed a series of treaties
limiting the spread of nuclear
tests and material.
– Took legal and direct action
against the French tests at
Mororoa Atoll (Prime Minister
Kirk in 1973)

4. NZ concerns about the French tests
Prime Minister Norman Kirk was
concerned about the threat to
New Zealand’s exports.
There were concerns about
radioactive fallout reaching the
fisheries and farmland of New
Zealand. Any suspected danger
could damage valuable exports.

5. From legal action to direct action
Actions taken in 1973
– Prime Minister Kirk and the Australian government
took France to the World Court.
– They argued that New Zealand’s rights were being
violated (broken) by the French tests.
– The World Court agreed, and issued an injunction
(ban) on any future atmospheric testing.
– The French President Pompidou ignored the ban,
arguing that French security depended on nuclear
weapons and testing.

6. From legal action to direct action
Direct action
– Greenpeace and other organisations had already been
sending protest fleets into the test zone at Mororoa.
– Following the French decision to ignore the World Court
ban Prime Minister Kirk sent two frigates (the Otago and
Canterbury) to escort a protest fleet.
– The frigates included two cabinet ministers – Fraser
Coleman and Matiu Rata.
– The publicity resulted in global criticism of the French.
In France some voters began to criticise their
government’s policy.
– In August 1974 France abandoned atmospheric testing
and changed to underground testing.

7. Concerns about damage to Mororoa
• Protest groups such as Greenpeace argued that
the tests at Mororoa were damaging the atoll.
• This would lead to radiation leaking into the
Pacific.
• A strong anti-nuclear movement began to build
up in New Zealand.
• This influenced the left-wing of the Labour
Government.
• Bill Rowling (who replaced Kirk after he died in
1974) suggested that the South Pacific become
Nuclear Weapons Free Zone

8. American Concerns
• America was concerned about Labour’s plans for
a nuclear-weapons free South Pacific.
• Australia, New Zealand and the United States
had formed the ANZUS alliance in 1951.
• The three countries promised to defend each
other if threatened.
• As part of the agreement American and New
Zealand ships held exercises together.
• American ships were nuclear-powered and
capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
• The United States had a ‘neither confirm nor
deny’ policy – meaning that it wouldn’t say
which ships carried nuclear weapons.
• If nuclear weapons were banned from New
Zealand then ANZUS would be threatened.

9. The Election of Robert Muldoon in 1975
• Robert Muldoon won the 1975 election (partly because the Kirk
government had stopped the Springbok team from touring).
• His National government had a more traditional approach.
• Muldoon did not want to offend the United States by pursuing
Labour’s anti-nuclear free policy.
• He also wanted to make sure that France continued to support
New Zealand’s exports to Europe.
• In the early 1970s European farmers were calling for NZ exports
to be limited.
• He ignored polls which showed that 70% of New Zealanders
wanted a South Pacific nuclear-free zone

10. Protests against U.S. Ship visits
• U.S. Ships had regularly visited New Zealand ports since
1951 (the start of ANZUS).
• Robert Muldoon invited the United States to send nuclea
vessels:
• 1976: The U.S.S. Truxton and U.S.S. Longbeach
• 1978: The U.S.S. Pintada (submarine)
• 1979: The U.S.S. Haddo (submarine).
• Between 1960 and 1984 150 ships had visited NZ!
• The United States would neither CONFIRM NOR DENY
that they carried nuclear weapons.
• In spite of this protests grew. In 1976 the St Johns
Theological College (where priests are trained) started
organising flotillas of ships to meet the U.S. warships.

12. Growing support for nuclear-free policy
National governed from 1975-1984.
In that period support for a nuclear-
free zone grew.
• In March 1981 Devonport
declared itself nuclear-free.
• In 1982 the Catholic Bishop of NZ
issued a statement opposing
nuclear weapons.
• In 1976 and 1982 Labour MP
Richard Prebble introduced
nuclear-free zone bills.
• During 1983 37 local authorities
declared themselves nuclear free.

13. The 1984 Election
• Labour campaigned for a
nuclear-free zone before the
election.
• National MP Marilyn Waring
stated her support for the
policy, threatening to reduce
the government’s majority.
• Prime Minister Muldoon –
famously drunk at the time –
called for a ‘snap’ (early
election). He blamed Waring’s
“feminist anti-nuclear stand”

14. Lange introduces a nuclear-free policy
• In 1984 Prime Minister Lange led
Labour to victory and introduced a
nuclear-free policy.
• Nuclear armed or powered ships were
no longer allowed to enter New
Zealand waters.
• Lange assured voters that this could be
achieved without threatening ANZUS.
• In 1987 the Labour government passed
the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone,
Disarmament, and Arms Control Act.
• This made it illegal for New Zealanders
to have any role in the making or use of

15. The Labour Policy was
broadly popular.
A poll in 1984 showed
that 58% of New
Zealanders opposed
visits by nuclear-armed
ships.
Anti nuclear badges from the 1980’s

16. Consequences for ANZUS
• In 1984 approximately 40% of the U.S. fleet was
nuclear powered.
• The U.S.A. would not confirm which of their ships
was nuclear-armed.
• This strategy (neither confirm nor deny) was meant
to make it harder for the U.S.S.R. to target the
Americans nuclear weapons.
• In September 1984 Lange said that he would
welcome more ANZUS trials – as long as visiting
ships were nuclear-free.

17. The Buchanan
• In January 1985 the United States tested the nuclear-
free policy.
• They requested a visit by the U.S.S. Buchanan. It was
an older ship and unlikely to be nuclear-armed.
• 10,000 people protested against the possible visit.
• The United States refused to confirm whether the
Buchanan was nuclear-armed.
• The Lange government denies the U.S.S. Buchanan
entry.

18. The suspension of ANZUS
• The United States was concerned that New Zealand’s policy
could spread to other allies.
• If it did, it would make it much harder for the U.S. Navy to
function.
• The U.S. refused to compromise on “neither confirm nor
deny’.
• Mr Schultz (the U.S. Secretary of State) declared that ANZUS
could not operate under these conditions.
• ANZUS was suspended for a long as the nuclear-free policy
remained.

19. How it affected New Zealand
• The U.S. stopped sharing intelligence with NZ.
• America refused to hold military exercises with
NZ.
• Access to the White House and Pentagon was
made more difficult.
• The U.S. passed the Broomfield Act in 1987
which officially downgraded the status of NZ
from “ally” to “friend”.

20. Consequences for New Zealand identity
• The uncompromising approach taken by the
U.S. did not alarm New Zealanders.
• In 1985 a poll showed that 73% of New
Zealanders supported the nuclear-free policy.
• In March 1985 Prime Minister Lange took part in
a debate at Oxford University. He argued that
nuclear weapons could not be defended
morally. His performance in that debate was
praised internationally.
• The National Party accepted the popular
support for the nuclear free policy and adopted
it when it returned to power in 1991.
• The policy was a significant demonstration of
national independence and commitment to the
concerns of the Pacific region.