Ship visits
The issue of visits to New Zealand by nuclear powered ships caused division within New Zealand society and between New Zealand and the USA. There was a lot of controversy over the United States ships that visited New Zealand, as they would neither confirm nor deny if they were nuclear powered or held nuclear arms.
In 1983, a ship visit from USS Texas caused protest, although the National run government’s Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, viewed United States’ ship visits as a way of New Zealand demonstrating their support for ANZUS. Muldoon made it evident to the United States that he prepared to let nuclear powered ships in to New Zealand ports. As he came to power, Lange promised to make New Zealand nuclear free and to ban nuclear weapons and nuclear powered ships from New Zealand territory. David Lange didn't divide the issues of nuclear powered ships and ships that held nuclear arms, whereas Muldoon did. The Labour party had a strong anti-nuclear stance, with no exceptions, unlike the National party who had more of a grey area between what was right and wrong concerning nuclear issues. After David Lange came into power, New Zealand began requesting ships visiting New Zealand ports to confirm whether or not they were nuclear powered or held nuclear arms, if they refused New Zealand would refuse the ship. This led to a chill in New Zealand’s relationship with the United States and as a result, the end of ANZUS as the United States didn’t feel that they needed to confirm or deny their nuclear status. |