How Many Warnings Does It Take?

Wednesday 26 Nov 2003
Ken Shirley
Press Releases -- Foreign Affairs & Defence

Surely it will not be long before US Ambassador Charles Swindells simply becomes tired of being ignored and gives up on helping us mend our relationship with the US, ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader Ken Shirley said today.

"Ambassador Swindells may as well save his breath - Labour is too entrenched in the past to see that the world has changed since our anti-nuclear policy was a harmless novelty," Mr Shirley said.

"Both Ambassador Swindells and US State Department `spokesman at large' Philip Reeker have warned that this out-dated, foolish legislation - which has absolutely no environmental or public safety justification - is harming US/NZ relations.

"New Zealand has already been relegated from US `ally' to `friend', and we have no chance of a place at the US/Australia free trade negotiating table. Prime Minister Helen Clark has made it clear that US advice is not wanted, and will not be heeded.

"Now, with Ambassador Swindells issuing yet another warning in his Christmas message to New Zealand, I urge this Government to support my Private Members Bill to lift the ban on nuclear-propelled ship visits and mend our relationship with the US - before we consign ourselves to isolated irrelevancy," Mr Shirley said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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