Government will not pay up if Zimbabwe cricket tour cancelled

The Government has ruled out underwriting stiff fines which could be imposed on New Zealand Cricket if it pulled out of the tour of Zimbabwe this year.

Finance Minister Michael Cullen, speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Helen Clark, told Parliament yesterday that it would create an "unfortunate precedent" if the taxpayer was to underwrite such bills.

However he also said the policy of the International Cricket Council to impose punitive financial penalties on cricket bodies who pull out of a tour was "very difficult" for sporting teams.

The cricketers have been asked by the Green Party not to visit Zimbabwe, dubbed a "pariah state", following rigged elections which saw Robert Mugabe returned to power last month.

Mr Mugabe, whose regime has killed, tortured and jailed opponents and left his people starving and dying of Aids by their thousands, has ruled for 25 years.

Limited economic sanctions, and Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth, have failed to effect change.

Green Party co-leader Rod Donald has written to New Zealand's international cricketers asking them to consider not going on this year's tour on moral grounds.

He said it was his preferred option that the Government support New Zealand Cricket not to go, by underwriting any fine imposed by the ICC if it pulled out.

NZ Cricket could be suspended from international cricket for a year and face a $US2 million fine if the tour is called off for anything other than security reasons.

In Parliament Dr Cullen said yesterday that any decision on whether to tour rested with the cricketers.

He said that although sporting boycotts had worked in the past, no New Zealand Government had ever tried to stop a team going overseas, as opposed to stopping some other nation's team visiting here.

Last year the British Government wrote to the ICC, saying it opposed a tour to Zimbabwe by England's cricketers and they should not be fined. It had little effect.

Dr Cullen suggested the ICC might like to review its policy.

"I think it is fair to say that the current policy of the International Cricket Council makes these decisions very difficult for sporting teams, and the policy could well be revisited, but that ... is a matter for cricketers and cricketing organisations."

Helen Clark said she would not be seen dead in Zimbabwe.

The schedule for the tour has yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to last five weeks through August and September.

NZ Cricket would not comment on the tour this week, but chief executive Martin Snedden told the Listener magazine it would not be cancelled for political reasons.