Today in History

1987 New Zealand becomes nuclear free

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 responded by saying that if the end of the security alliance was the cost of New Zealand’s nuclear-free status, then ‘it is the 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. By 1990 even the National opposition had signed up to anti-nuclearism.

Image: Nuclear-free New Zealand protestors