United Future Supports Existing Anti-Nuclear Legislation

18 March 2002

UNITED FUTURE SUPPORTS EXISTING ANTI-NUCLEAR LEGISLATION

United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne, says his party supports New Zealand's existing anti-nuclear legislation, and he is welcoming assurances from the Prime Minister that it is not about to be changed.

"It is certainly true that the international environment has changed for ever since September 11 last year."

"However, the major change has been a greater recognition by many, many people of the importance of their own families, and the need to do all they can to protect them from being exposed to greater risk from terrorism."

"Nuclear terrorism is the last horrific boundary to be crossed, and there is no guarantee it will not happen any time."

"The best thing we can hope for is that existing wariness of the use of nuclear weapons continues to deter extremists from using these ultimate weapons."

"The last things families across the world need right now are either a greater escalation of nuclear weapons rhetoric, or any increase in the risk to hitherto nuclear free countries like ours by putting nuclear ship visits back on the agenda."

"Of all the issues we can imagine, the nuclear issue is the one with the greatest potential to harm the future of families, and as a centrist party committed to promoting family issues, United Future will not support any moves to repeal our anti-nuclear legislation," Mr Dunne says.

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