The Frigate Controversy

Press, 3 April 1989, Page 17

The Frigate Controversy

The building of frigates as part of a joint New Zealand and Australian project has been in the news for several months. In November of last year the Minister of Defence, Mr Bob Tizard, said that the project was “the litmus test of New Zealand’s and Australia’s defence relationship” and was “necessary for the security and stability of the South Pacific.”

The plan is for the 12 frigates to be built jointly by Australia and New Zealand, and for New Zealand to pay for up to four of the ships. The project is a controversial one. The Government has the view that the new ships are needed so that New Zealand can defend itself and play a responsible part in defence cooperation with Australia and in the South Pacific. The supporters of the huge ship-building programme have also pointed out that substantial numbers of jobs would be created if the project went ahead. Proposals to build the ships in Australia, Australia and New Zealand or parts of them in both countries have been widely discussed. < Bidders for the New Zealand contract have included the McConnell

Dowell Corporation (the New Zealand partner in Australian Warships Systems) which proposed that three of the ships could be built at Whangarei) and the Australa-sian-German consortium, Amecon, which is suggesting that part of the contract could come to Canterbury.

An “Eyewitness” Heylen poll has shown that nearly 60 per cent of those polled were against the scheme (details of the poll are contained on this page in the Skills section).

The joint frigate project is being enthusiastically promoted by Australia. The Australians have stressed that the frigate building must go ahead if New Zealand wants to be seen as a reliable defence partner. Fears have been expressed that New Zealand’s successful trade agreement with Australia, C.E.R. (closer economic relations), will be threatened if the Government fails to support the project. Suggestions have been made that Australia is putting pressure on New Zealand to take part, though both the Australia and New Zealand Governments deny this claim. The frigate project does not appear to be widely supported by either the Government

or the public. By early March, the only Cabinet Ministers or members of Parliament to publicly support it were Messrs Lange, Tizard and Marshall. The people who oppose the frigatebuilding programme feel that New Zealand does not need, and cannot afford, such expensive warships. Many feel that the country’s defence could be adequately served by smaller coast-guard-type vessels. Opponents of the frigate proposal feel that the large sums of money involved (e.g. $337M a frigate) would be better spent on health or social services, and that even if the ships were partly built in New Zealand the jobs created would be only temporary. Controversy has also developed as to whether the frigate programme could be seen as a step towards reviving the A.N.Z.U.S. alliance. The American Embassy in Wellington and the American Com-mander-in-Chief for the Pacific have both made statements saying that they do not see any link between A.N.Z.U.S. and the frigate issue.

Graph the frigate

The "Eyewitness” poll on the frigates, conducted earlier this year, had these results:

• 40.7 percent disapproved. • 18.9 percent were strongly opposed.

This meant that • 59.6 percent were against, • 21 per cent approved.

• 3.5 percent strongly approved.

This meant that

poll • 24.5 percent were in favour. < In October last year a poll on the frigates showed: • 45.6 per cent disapproved. • 11,2 percent strongly opposed. This meant that: • 56.8 percent were against. • 28.3 percent approved. • 1.1 percent strongly approved. This meant that:

ACTIVITIES (1) What is a litmus test? Why does Mr Tizard use it to describe the frigate issue?

(2) In two columns list the arguments for and against the frigates.

(3) What is (or was) A.N.Z.U.S.? What is New Zealand’s present position in regard to this? (4) In recent months there have been graffiti which make comments about the frigates e.g., “Buy frigates, ’bye Labour.” How many examples can you find? Make up some slogans which reflect your own views, either for or against the frigates

• 29.4 percent were in our. ’ (1) Draw a multiple bar graph showing the figures for the recent poll. In a contrasting colour show the figures from the October poll. (2) Draw a pie graph showing the figures for the recent poll. (What percentage of views is not covered in the figures given? Remember to show this on your graph under the heading “Do not know.”)

THE FRIGATE CONTROVERSY WHO IS SAYING WHAT? Here are six different views on the frigates. Can you match up the type of person in A with the comments in the speech bubbles? When completed cut this section out and stick it in your scrapbook. Add a drawing of yourself, plus a speech bubble containing your views.