PEACE SQUADRON PROTEST AT ARRIVAL OF US NUCLEAR-POWERED WARSHIPS
there WERE A NUMBER OF KEY GROUPS INVOLVED WITH THE popular and increasingly effective MOVEMENT AGAINST NUCLEAR ENERGY and its uses. EACH GROUP individually HAD ITS IMPACT ON THE MOVEMENT AS A WHOLE, However THE COLLABORATION AND COLLECTIVE ACTION between these organizations STRENGTHENED and INCREASED ITS IMPACT SIGNFICIANTLY in comparison TO If each group were working alone. the unification of these organizations under the idea of creating a nuclear-free new Zealand meant that their ideas were spread throughout the country to many towns outside of the main protest centres of Auckland and wellington.
PEACE SQUADRON Peace squadron were a courageous group formed in 1976 by members of St john theological college. this group was primarily formed in response to the growing resent against nuclear warship visits into New Zealand ports. their main aim was to obstruct any incoming nuclear powered vessels into the Auckland harbour. peace squadron worked tirelessly on the water obstructing the American warships, where it is often concluded that without their on-water action there would not have been such overwhelming support behind the campaign for a nuclear warship ban. although they were effective in preventing warships from entering the harbour, this was a non-violent protest group that used resistance and obstruction to delay ship visits. during 1976 peace squadron was heavily involved with the delaying of the uss longbeach's entry into the waitemata harbour. 150 vessels, including yachts, kayaks, surfboards and dinghies arrived to confront the nuclear-powered ship and prevent its entry into Auckland. peace squadron was also involved with sailing to mururoa. through observing the French nuclear testing and obstructing American warships peace squadron further publicised the campaign for a nuclear-free new Zealand.
Greenpeace AND PEACE MEDIA Greenpeace and Peace Media were affiliated organizations at the forefront of resistance to nuclear warships and protest to nuclear energy. greenpeace and peace media were largely involved with petitions and on-land demonstrations, where each had roles in orchestrating and organizing the several marches and pickets that occurred throughout the country. peace media was also involved with publicity of the anti-nuclear movement, where many posters and publications were effectively distributed around main centres to raise awareness for the cause and to enlist more members to join the campaign. greenpeace also had its input on the water, where its iconic vessel Rainbow warrior was at the forefront of voyages to obstruct incoming us ships and also with protest surrounding French nuclear testing. this iconic vessel was famously blown up in 1985 by French agents. greenpeace still exists today as an active organisation campaigning for environmentally friendly policies, however at the climax of the movement both groups were extremely valuable in continuing protests on and off the water. it was the anti-nuclear movement that initiated greenpeace as in influential and successful environmentally conscious group.
CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT (CND)
the campaign for nuclear disarmament (CND) was an international group that had established itself in new Zealand in 1959, just prior to the anti-nuclear movement. CND made no disctinction between the use of nuclear power, nuclear testing or the visits of us warships, and was thus opposed to all nuclear activity. at the time this was seen as a left-of-centre radical group, however they were heavily involved in civil campaigning and passive protest that cast doubt over the radical interpretation they had been given. many were involved in this group, where everyday civilians took the opportunity to make their mark on the nuclear-free new Zealand through the internationally renowned CND. the early actions of cnd involved speeches and marches throughout the 1960's to highlight the concerns and impacts of the French nuclear testing in mururoa. such action was part of the foundation protest that can be seen as essential to the success of the movement in the 1970s and 1980s. cnd was supported by many peace groups on their stance towards nuclear weapons, where they urged the government to end the affiliation with any nations using nuclear powered warships and weapons, even if this meant jeopardising the anzus alliance. one of the groups petitions, 'no bombs south of the line' gathered approximately 80,000 signatures and aimed to have the government initiate a conference discussing a nuclear-free south pacific. although this didn't happen immediately, the creation of a nuclear-free south pacific occurred in the following decades. this petition contained the largest collection of signatures in new Zealand since 1894 with the demands for giving women the right to vote. the actions of campaign for nuclear disarmament prior to the 1970s established the initial platform for anti-nuclear protest, where the development of a nuclear-free ideology spanned from these smaller but just as effective campaigns in the 1960s.
successive Labour governments The successive labour governments, from norman kirk in 1972 to david lange in 1984, were instrumental in providing legal support for the anti-nuclear movement. these labour governments were more radical and direct with their anti-nuclear stance in comparison to the move conservative national administrations. the proactive campaigning form government officials, including the French testing court case and the mururoa voyages, set the scene for what would become a revolutionary policy in 1984 and the official legislation of 1987. without the support of the labour government and their mp's, who often turned out to marches and demonstrations, the success of the movement on the political scheme is less likely to have occurred. the unofficial but equally important understanding between the labour administrations and the recognized peace movements undoubtedly supported the growth of the campaign in the 1970's. the loyalty to the idea of a nuclear free new Zealand meant that the labour governments were very popular among voters during the 1970's and 1980's, where their success at elections were proof of the overwhelming support behind the nuclear-free stance. the national governments, who were often more concerned with maintaining traditional alliances, were not as popular among activists as they were not as proactive and loyal to protest campaigns.
ANZUS ALLIANCE The ANZUS alliance was a military agreement that existed between new Zealand, Australia and the united states. this alliance bound the three nations to aiding one another militarily if there was to be an attack on either of the countries. this three-way defence pact was signed in 1951 and was regarded as an important alliance for the smaller nation of new Zealand. however the anti-nuclear movement and its effects played a pivotal role in damaging the alliance between new Zealand and the nuclear enthusiastic united states. the opposition to the nuclear warships created tension between the two countries as there was an expectation from America that new Zealand would allow their ships entry under the anzus agreement. the policy of 1984 and the legislation of 1987 would sever the alliance between the two nations, where the opposing viewpoints of the respective governments manifested in defence ties being cut and the alliance being rendered useless.
the effect the anti-nuclear movement had on the anzus alliance and the alliance with the us will be examined in the primary document analysis and the effects on new Zealand pages.
The collaboration and cooperation of the key groups often resulted in large protests that combined members of each group. on august 6th 1976, 30 years after the nuclear disaster at hiroshima, there was a large protest movement that involved nearly all of the key groups mentioned above. the volume of protestors that expressed their disapproval at the use of nuclear power stressed that the unity of the movement under on common aim was strong even in its early years. the Campaign for nuclear disarmament, the labour government, university students and members of greenpeace and other affiliated groups all joined in these marches and demonstrations that occurred from auckland to as far south as Dunedin. additionally, the visit of the nuclear powered queenfish was one of the largest combined protests in the campaign, where members from the labour government, including Auckland mayor Cath tizard, joined the portside protest as the ship arrived. this was the last nuclear-powered vessel to enter new Zealand waters and marked the end of an era for activists against the arrival of these vessels.
there were other smaller groups involved with the anti-nuclear movement and its success. such groups were affiliated with larger and more prominent organizations. the Maori group, Pacific Peoples anti-nuclear action committee (PPANAC) as well as the Christchurch based nuclear free-zone committee were formed to accommodate the anti-nuclear desires of people within the maori community and those living in Christchurch. the number of groups involved with the anti-nuclear campaign illustrates the
USS TRUXTUN VISITS IN 1982 AND IS GREETED BY PROTEST VESSELS OBSTRUCTING ITS ENTRY INTO THE HARBOUR