Tuesday 21 Oct 2003
Richard Prebble
Press Releases -- Foreign Affairs & Defence

ACT Leader Richard Prebble said today that the government should explain why it has ignored the eighty percent of New Zealanders who polled to say they want a referendum on the Privy Council.

Why the government is also ignoring sixty percent of the public who want the GE moratorium extended but is now telling us that because a majority of New Zealanders want New Zealand nuclear free, the nuclear policy cannot be changed.

"Why is the public too dumb to understand the Privy Council, too unscientific to understand genetic engineering, but is now an expert on nuclear fission?

"The reality is that Labour has no rationale for its ban on nuclear powered ships except popularism.

"If the government says it is legitimate to take the lead on judicial reform and genetic engineering then it should explain why it follows and does not lead on the nuclear issue," said Mr Prebble.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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