National Party Nuclear Document Disappoints

ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader and Foreign Affairs Spokesman Ken Shirley expressed disappointed with the Creech Report released by the National Party today.

"Following the Somers Report, commissioned by a previous National Government, we have had 12 years of indecision and fence-sitting on the nuclear propulsion issue," Mr Shirley said.

"The Somers Report concluded that there is no environmental safety or public risk factor justifying New Zealand's continued ban on nuclear propulsion. It is a myth that we are nuclear free - we deploy nuclear technologies in hospitals, laboratories, mining and engineering equipment throughout the country.

"The Somers Report commented that Auckland Hospital alone releases more than twice as much radiation into the environment each day as the entire US naval fleet and all of its support services in a year.

"The Creech Report just continues the fence-sitting, by stating that we should express a ban on nuclear-propelled ships by way of a Government policy decision, rather than an Act of Parliament.

"There is no reason to continue the ban on nuclear propulsion whatsoever. It appears the National Party is embarrassed by its own report - releasing it today so that it will attract minimal news attention because of the 15,000-strong hikoi to Parliament.

"The restoration of our good relationship with the US is of paramount importance. The timid Creech Report, and the lack of any commitment by the National Party to implement it, can give the New Zealand public no assurances that that relationship will be restored any time soon.

"ACT Party policy is unequivocal. We would expunge Clause 11 from the anti-nuclear legislation, and would not support a policy decision of Government to continue the ban on nuclear-propelled ship visits," Mr Shirley said.

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