Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control

8 February 2006

Nats' latest nuke flip-flop lacks credibility

National have flip-flopped so often over their nuclear policy that no one will take their latest proposed change very seriously, says Disarmament Minister Phil Goff.

"Frankly nobody believes what the National Party says on this issue any more. National are going to change their policy because they believe that comments made by Don Brash and Lockwood Smith supporting a change in New Zealand's non-nuclear policy cost them at the last election," Mr Goff said.

"Because this change is for naked electoral ambitions rather than a genuine change of heart, National will still suffer from a lack of credibility.

"There is also, of course, the question as to whether this latest apparent policy reversal will survive the change of National's leadership that is clearly in the wings. John Key has clearly shown his ambitions to be leader in place of Don Brash with his comments at the start of National's Taupo caucus meeting, but he has been strangely silent on the nuclear issue.

"Equally as importantly, New Zealanders will want to know whether National's latest policy stance is the same as the promises they make in private to visiting overseas delegations.

"Don Brash's duplicity in privately promising that the nuclear-free legislation would be gone by lunchtime, while telling the public a different story, will not easily be forgotten," Mr Goff said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media