Labour's support for the Green Party's New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Extension Bill is unprincipled political
opportunism, National Defence spokesperson Wayne Mapp said today.
"Phil Goff's entire speech last night was devoted to saying why the Bill was unworkable, that it was in breach of
international law, and that it would not become law. It is plain hypocrisy for Labour to vote for a Bill which it has
decried for its illegality, and which cannot even be improved through the Select Committee process.
"The current legislation bans nuclear powered ships from entering New Zealand's 12 mile territorial sea. The Green's
proposal to extend this to a 200 mile ban would be a clear breach of New Zealand's commitments under the Law of the Sea,
which allows free navigation up to the 12 mile zone.
"While Labour will obviously stoop to anything to secure the Green vote, this condoning of illegality is taking matters
too far.
"Labour should have killed off this legislation rather than humour the Greens with pointless select committee hearings
on a piece of legislation which Labour itself says will never see the light of day," Dr Mapp said.
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