27 October 2000

Council To Make Nuclear-free Submission

A submission on the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone Extension Bill is to be made by the Christchurch City Council.

The Bill seeks to extend the nuclear-free zone to coincide with the exclusive economic zone and to prohibit the transit of high-level nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered ships through the extended zone.

The Bill will not prevent the passage of ships carrying radioactive material of low-level types, such as that produced for medical and scientific uses, through the extended zone.

The Council will make its submission as it has a history of leadership in the areas of disarmament and against nuclear proliferation.

Three resolutions - that Christchurch is a nuclear-free zone, that groups interested in peace and disarmament be encouraged to establish sister-city links, and that the Council is opposed to nuclear weapons and visits to New Zealand by nuclear-powered ships - have been made since 1989.

Further information: Mary Richardson, Policy Analyst: 941 8882.

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