National open to dropping nuclear ban, cables show

The cables quoted Murray McCully as saying the nuclear ban would only be lifted if there was a crisis. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Click here to read all the diplomatic cables about NZ held by WikiLeaks.

The United States' focus on our anti-nuclear stance and the Anzus split stands out in the screeds of diplomatic cables sent from the US Embassy in Wellington, and released by Wikileaks.

New Zealand adopted nuclear-free legislation in 1984 when David Lange's Labour government swept into power - effectively blocking visits by US warships.

In a February 2006 cable then Ambassador Bill McCormick talks about the National Party being open to dropping the ban.

He said the anti-nuclear issue dominated a National Party caucus retreat and MP Murray McCully suggested the party drop its nuclear ban policy, which required a referendum before making changes.

However, Mr McCully went on to tell the embassy that removal of a ban would only happen if there was a crisis.

"Until then the party gains nothing by pushing for a change," the cable said.

The cable said National's possible change in policy might appear significant but "in reality there is less there than meets the eye".

"Although the party has previously commissioned studies questioning the logic of the anti-nuclear legislation, and many of its MPs have privately told us they support removal of the ban, National's official policy always was to retain the law absent a voter referendum to repeal it. Given the strong and widespread support for the anti-nuclear legislation, such a referendum would almost surely fail."

The cable also revealed that National MP Chris Finlayson was the only caucus member who thought the Government should change the legislation immediately on becoming government.

"But he also thought the Government should then shelve the issue by not encouraging or allowing any ship visits for a number of years. Significantly, following the recent caucus even Finlayson seems resigned to the impossibility of changing the legislation any time soon."

An earlier cable claimed New Zealand's anti-nuclear legislation was influenced by wanting to cut defence costs as well as by ideology and others tie the nuclear issue to trade although one says the US had no reason to send nuclear-powered ships to New Zealand anyway.

Another cable said Labour and National governments tried but failed to get Japan to join in the New Zealand-led provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province.

Green MP Keith Locke yesterday said he was concerned by revelations in the Wikileaks cables that senior civil servants are pushing the US government's agenda rather than acting in New Zealand's interests.

"It is apparent from the documents that changes to our anti-terrorism laws over the last few years have been driven by the US government, with leading police and Foreign Affairs Ministry people willing partners in this process," Mr Locke said.

"Most disturbing is a report that our Defence Chief in 2006, Bruce Ferguson, seems to have complained to the Americans about our anti-nuclear policy being too inflexible. The head of the armed forces is supposed to be our most loyal citizen."

Another cable that revealed assurances from Prime Minister John Key to Chinese premier Wen Jiabao that no ministers would meet the Dalai Lama - despite a pre-election commitment to hold a meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader - showed that the National government had also misled the public, Mr Locke said.

- NZPA