Poll reveals support for easing nuclear ban

By HELEN TUNNAH DEPUTY, political editor

Most New Zealanders would be prepared to ease the law banning visits from nuclear-propelled ships - but only if the Americans promise not to send any warships.

In a surprise poll result, 53.1 per cent of voters surveyed supported a National Party taskforce report which suggests easing the law that bans nuclear-propelled ship visits, and replacing it with a "policy" ban.

The Herald-DigiPoll found 37.6 per cent of those surveyed did not want any tinkering with the anti-nuclear legislation.

Last night, the Government said it would not amend the 1987 law that established New Zealand as a nuclear-free zone, but also guaranteed tensions with the United States.

"No way," said Disarmament Minister Marian Hobbs. "We will keep ourselves nuclear free."

Even National seemed surprised by the poll result. Acting leader Gerry Brownlee described it as "interesting".

Labour is gearing up to take on National over nuclear policy before next year's election, but the finding suggests that while New Zealanders want the country to remain nuclear-free, they might accept some flexibility over how that is achieved.

A party breakdown of the result shows predictably strong support among National voters for a law change, provided no warships visit.

But only 51.5 per cent of Labour voters opposed that prospect, and four out of 10 Labour voters said they would support an easing of the nuclear propulsion ban if the Americans agreed not to send warships.

The poll also found 58 per cent of those surveyed were against any easing of the ships ban to improve relations with the US, and 34.4 per cent were in favour of change.

National issued its taskforce report debating the anti-nuclear legislation last month.

It said New Zealand should stay nuclear-free, and the law banning nuclear weapons should not change.

But the report raised the option of easing the legal ban on nuclear-propelled ship visits, while retaining a policy ban.

It said Denmark operated such a policy and had retained good relations with the US.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has dismissed the idea as unworkable.

She is overseas, but has said that if National thought such a policy was a serious proposition, "we will die laughing".

Ms Hobbs, who is also acting Foreign Affairs Minister, said National wanted to cuddle up to nuclear weaponry.

"I would not ever support a relaxation of the law when you've got something as vague as an 'understanding' with the United States.

"That's giving the decision-making power to the United States. Are we or are we not a sovereign state setting our own laws?

"We are not having any nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships in our country, full stop."

Mr Brownlee said the poll suggested nuclear policy might not be the "political hot potato" many people expected.

He said National did not support any change to the law banning nuclear weapons.

"It's just the issue of propulsion. The interesting thing is we know that surface ships other than the aircraft carriers are no longer nuclear-propelled, and the chances of one coming here are practically zero."

National has said it will not make any changes to the law unless it gains public backing, either through a manifesto promise before a general election or through a referendum.

The sliding popularity of President George Bush and the prisoner torture scandals involving US soldiers in Iraq are thought to have made National nervous of pursuing any position that might align it with an unpopular Administration.

No decision on its nuclear position is expected before the US presidential elections in November.

The poll of 712 voters was conducted between May 27 and June 1, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 per cent.