Nuclear stance

Press, 29 January 1988, Page 16

Nuclear stance

Sir,—Dr Bill Wilkie, a visiting Australian psychiatrist, highlights fundamental differences between the national characteristics of Australians and New Zealanders (January 22), such as our ability to make changes in our foreign and trade policy. Describing these changes as “survival skills,” Dr Wilkie appears to have hit upon the reason why we are nuclear-free when Australians continue down the nuclear dead-end path. If Dr Wilkie is right, and our two nations are so different, why then should we become closer militarily when doing so is likely to lessen our nuclear-free benefits? The purpose of the policy was to withdraw our association with nuclear-based defences in the first place. Instead of turning

back, why not complete our “survival action” and become a peace-making neutral, like Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and Finland? New Zealand could then become of value to any potential nuclear-armed protagonists instead of a target.— Yours, etc., BRUCE BENNETTS., January 26, 1988.