MP's bid to water down anti-nuclear laws set to fail

Act MP Ken Shirley's bid to change the law to allow nuclear-propelled ships into New Zealand ports appears doomed.

Mr Shirley's private member's bill to reverse part of New Zealand's anti-nuclear legislation is expected to be debated next month.

But Foreign Minister Phil Goff said there was no change in Labour's nuclear policy, and National confirmed it would not vote for the legislation. A spokesman said National's policy was that it would not support a law change without a referendum.

National set up its own taskforce to review the anti-nuclear legislation, but last year backed away from calling for any change in the run-up to an election.

Mr Shirley said his bill did not advocate lifting the ban on nuclear weapons. But the ban on nuclear-propelled ships remained an obstacle to New Zealand's return to the Anzus alliance with the United States and Australia. Restoring that relationship was important for free-trade talks with America.

A spokeswoman for US Ambassador Charles Swindells said: "Whatever the outcome of this particular bill, we welcome a full and factual discussion of the issue, and will continue to work with New Zealand to advance the relationship."

Without the support of the two major parties, the bill will not get enough votes to pass its first hurdle in Parliament.

The nuke ban

* Ken Shirley's bill would not lift the ban on nuclear weapons but would remove clause 11 of the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Disarmament and Arms Control Act 1987.

* This clause banned any ship that was wholly or partly dependent on nuclear power from entering NZ waters.