Anti-N law delay likely

Press, 16 September 1986, Page 3

Anti-N law delay likely

PA Wellington The Government’s intention of getting its controversial anti-nuclear legislation into law before Christmas could falter on its tight Parliamentary

timetable. The New Zealand Nuclear-Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Bill, which bans visits by nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships and aircraft, is still before a select committee.

The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, said yesterday that the backlog of legislation could mean the bill would not be passed before Parliament rose in December.

He argued that it was not critical to rush the bill through when the Government was committed to its anti-nuclear policy. “Why should you give a priority of overwhelming order to a piece of legislation which is not necessary to execute the

policy?" he said. “I think it could be delayed until next year. I would still hope that it could be passed this year. But were it not, there would be no change in policy and no loss,” he said.

Parliament now has 33 sitting days left until it is expected to rise the week before Christmas.

Earlier this month the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Palmer, said the Government would not be able to pass all the legislation flowing from the policies it had already announced before the next election.

The anti-nuclear legislation was introduced in Parliament in December and referred to Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committee for it to consider more than 1200 submissions.