N-ships issue stymies address

Press, 6 August 1987, Page 4

N-ships issue stymies address

By

DAVE WILSON

What began as a conventional election meeting ran aground on the issue of nuclear ships.

The National candidate for Christchurch Central, Mr Graham Burnett, was an hour into his address when the delicate subject of National’s nuclear policy attracted audience participation. Until then the 17 people in the Anglican Church lounge at Avonside had sat quietly hearing Mr Burnett’s concerns for low income groups in the electorate, his criticisms of the Government’s handling of the economy, unemployment, and crime

and violence. When he said National would allow nuclear ships into New Zealand on a “neither - confirm - nor - deny” basis, several members of the audience took his party to task. You cannot do that, they said, not when at least 60 per cent of the country opposed nuclear vessel visits.

Mr Burnett replied that this highlighted the dilemma of New Zealand wishing to stay in A.N.Z.U.S. while many people also opposed the propulsion system and weapons of our main ally. A male questioner persisted. Did the National policy not over-ride the

express views of the majority of the population?

The nuclear issue had been blown out of all proportion, said Mr Burnett. And Christian-based countries were not outwardly aggressive. Two questioners fired back, taking issue with that statement. How can you justify allowing a nuclear ship in the country on the say so of a United States Government that has a particularly aggressive image? Mr Burnett was clearly unhappy at the direction the meeting was taking, and he tried to avoid a question of whether he rated President Reagan a

hawk or a dove. “He’s confused,” Mr Burnett replied. He is President of a country that, since 1943, has invaded 73 other countries, replied one of his audience.

Mr Burnett countered with comparative statistics showing that the Soviet Union’s military arsenal greatly outnumbered that of the West, and how he viewed the nuclear umbrella as a deterrent to war.

What did we gain from being involved in Vietnam, asked a World War II veteran. Japanese and German economies were booming while New Zealand’s was mortally ill, he

said. In this view Mr Burnett and his questioner were in agreement. Mr Burnett said New Zealand was suffering .from record high interest rates, record inflation, and record unemployment, as well as unprecedented crime and violence.

People who supported Labour in 1984 had not received what they expected from the Government, he said.

The idea that helping big business grow rich would mean a trickle down of growth had not worked, and ordinary New Zealanders were losing heavily, Mr Burnett said.