Japanese paper’s view of poll

Press, 24 July 1984, Page 14

Japanese paper’s view of poll

From 1

BRUCE ROSCOE

in Tokyo The Labour Party’s victory in New Zealand and its anti-nuclear policies are symbolic of a new South Pacific nationalism, according to an editorial in the “Asahi Shimbun,” a national daily Japanese newspaper. The editorial also said that New Zealand, an advanced agricultural country, was suffering unemployment and chronic inflation. Since the oil shock, prices for imported industrial products and oil had soared while returns from agricultural exports had declined. The Labour Party probably won because New Zealanders were tired of Sir Robert Muldoon’s National Government. But more than that, Labour’s anti-nuclear policy was supported by the public, which has much significance for the South Pacific’s international relations, the newspaper said. In Australia, too, antinuclear consciousness was high. At the Labour Party conference earlier this month, the policy line, steadily advanced by Mr Hawke, won the support of the Centre-Left faction led by the Foreign Minister, Mr Hayden. The party’s Leftwingers had wanted to break away from A.N.Z.U.S., ban port calls by United States nuclear warships, deny Australian air space and landing rights to jet fighters carrying nuclear weapons, but this was rejected by a large majority. A proposal for the gradual removal of United States

military ‘.communication bases was also defeated. Instead, the conference adopted a motion by the middle-Left faction, calling on United States nuclear warships not to use Australian ports with the frequency they would a mother port Australia would not ask whether warships making only short calls were carrying nuclear weapons. On Hiroshima Day last August 6, Mr Hawke made a special speech, such is his belief in the need to eliminate nuclear weapons. But he knows the previous Australian Labour Government was short-lived in its hurried pursuit of ideals, and he is being careful to continue the policies of conservative Government. This is bringing his party the broad support of middle. Australia. Opinion polls show more than 70 per cent of Australians support Mr Hawke, which is unprecedented popularity for the leader of an advanced democracy. It can probably be said that the conference laid the groundwork for the party’s long-term policies, the editorial said. As members of the South Pacific region, both Australia and New Zealand are advancing the task of nation building. Australia was one step behind Canada in seeking an independencei with subordination to neither the United States nor the United Kingdom, and is now entering a period of maturity. New Zealand, a step further behind, is approaching ado-

lescence. The advocacy of an anti-nuclear position is an important expression of this independence. j The Japanese - business .community > was' worried that the Australian Labour Administration would gradually phase out uranium mining. But the conference turned down a proposal; for. closing uranium mines, and ap-

proved further uranium exploitation and export Previously, Australia tied uranium supply contracts to the condition that “Japan abandon its plans to dump radioactive nuclear wastes in ’the Pacific.” But at the conference, Japan was not singled out by name. It was merely stated that the party “opposes strongly nuclear waste dumping in the Paci-

fic.” No uranium, however, would be sold to France, which was named, unless it stopped testing nuclear bombs in the South Pacific. New Zealand and other advancing South Pacific nations are united in opposing Japanese nuclear waste dumping. We should not forget that the waves of Pacific nationalism often are breaking on our shores.