Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control
8 February 2006
Nats' latest nuke flip-flop lacks credibility
National have flip-flopped so often over their nuclear policy that no one will take their latest proposed change very
seriously, says Disarmament Minister Phil Goff.
"Frankly nobody believes what the National Party says on this issue any more. National are going to change their policy
because they believe that comments made by Don Brash and Lockwood Smith supporting a change in New Zealand's non-nuclear
policy cost them at the last election," Mr Goff said.
"Because this change is for naked electoral ambitions rather than a genuine change of heart, National will still suffer
from a lack of credibility.
"There is also, of course, the question as to whether this latest apparent policy reversal will survive the change of
National's leadership that is clearly in the wings. John Key has clearly shown his ambitions to be leader in place of
Don Brash with his comments at the start of National's Taupo caucus meeting, but he has been strangely silent on the
nuclear issue.
"Equally as importantly, New Zealanders will want to know whether National's latest policy stance is the same as the
promises they make in private to visiting overseas delegations.
"Don Brash's duplicity in privately promising that the nuclear-free legislation would be gone by lunchtime, while
telling the public a different story, will not easily be forgotten," Mr Goff said.
ENDS