The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act was passed into law, establishing this country as a nuclear and biological weapon-free zone.
The Act was passed in the aftermath of the nuclear ships stand-off between New Zealand and the United States which led to the breakdown of the ANZUS alliance. In a largely symbolic action, the US Congress retaliated with the Broomfield Act, downgrading New Zealand’s status from ally to friend. Prime Minister David Lange’s response was that if the cost of New Zealand’s nuclear-free status was the end of the security alliance, this was a ‘price we are prepared to pay’.
In 1989, 52% of New Zealanders indicated that they would rather break defence ties than admit nuclear-armed ships to their harbours. By 1990 even the National opposition had signed up to anti-nuclearism.
Read more on NZHistory
Nuclear-free legislation – Nuclear-free New ZealandOverview – The Cold WarDavid LangeLast decade – The Cold WarLast decade – New Zealand and the Cold War1987 - key events – The 1980s
External links
- Legal challenges to nuclear weapons (Disarmament and security centre)
- David Lange obituary (NZ Herald)
How to cite this page
'New Zealand goes nuclear-free', URL: /new-zealand-becomes-nuclear-free, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 8-Jun-2015
