When France carried out its first atmospheric test at Mururoa Atoll in the South Pacific in 1966, it allowed

a concentrated centre for NZers to direct their anti-nuclear protests towards. The NZ protests towards French nuclear testing in the Pacific was a significant event because it was a milestone for the protest movement in NZ, cementing our position as a country that would speak out when our morals were in violation and would not be barred by political bureaucracy that moved slower than the pace of the people. After the second world war and the devastating impacts of the USAs nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, other major powers began developing nuclear weaponry. NZ became concerned with nuclear testing after the development of the hydrogen bomb especially in 1954 when the atoll of Rongelap, Rongerik and Utirik were contaminated by radioactive fallout, as was the Japanese fishing trawler the Lucky Dragon. In 1959, NZ voted to condemn nuclear testing in the United Nation against the UK, the US, and France due to rising public concern. In 1959 also, the NZ Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (NZCND) was formed by Mary Woodward and Elsie Locke. In 1960, NZ PM Keith Holyoake expressed profound dismay at US and Soviet nuclear testing. The long-term impacts of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki increased public concern further, especially concerning British testing in Christmas island and Johnson Atoll. In 1963, the NZ branch of the NZCND presented a petition of 80,238 signatures calling for a Southern Hemisphere Nuclear Free Zone, with the slogan No Bombs South of the Line. The partial test ban Treaty was signed in 1964 to ban atmospheric testing, however the French refused to sign it, and in future years this come to the forefront of NZ protests. In 1961, Algeria gained independence, which was important because it was the nuclear testing area of France. A fiveyear treaty was signed for France to continue its nuclear testing but in 1966, they switched to the South Pacific and began testing at Mururoa and Fangataufa Atolls. The NZ National Governments led by Holyoake and Marshall had been afraid to offend France for fear of damaging trade treaties with Britain once it joined the EEC, but tactics changed when the Labour Government under Norman Kirk gained power in 1972. Along with Australia, NZ worked with the ICJ in Hague to have French nuclear testing in the Pacific declared illegal. The ICJ ruled in favour of NZ and ordered the French to cease testing while it continued to investigate the case. Kirk sent silent witnesses aboard the HMNZS Otago and Canterbury with Government Minister Fraser Coleman to the atolls. In 1974 the French declared that they were taking their testing underground which negated the actions of the ICJ due to the legality of atmospheric testing as the threat of airborne radiation had ceased. On July 10th 1985, French agents blew up and sunk the Greenpeace vessel the Rainbow Warrior while it was anchored at Auckland, set to sail on a protest voyage to Mururoa Atoll. A photographer on board was killed. Two agents were captured by the police, and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The French government put pressure on NZ to release the agents back to France, by blocking access to NZ dairy products to the European Economic Community. The secretary-general of the Un acted as a mediator in negotiations, and a compromise was reached on the 7th July 1986 where France paid $13 million and didnt block access to the EEC. A further effect of NZ protests against French nuclear testing in the South Pacific is that it led to NZ regions being Nuclear Free. Some regions in NZ society were particularly affected by the nuclear issue, for example Devenport in Auckland had been a naval base for the Navy. The people of Devenport therefore became concerned over the danger of carrying nuclear weaponry and so in 1981 the Council declared the region NZs first Nuclear Free Zone. Also led to the establishment of the Nuclear Free Zone in the Southern Hemisphere in 1985 and the Treaty of Rarotonga. The organisation of marches and public addresses drew attention to the atmospheric tests that were having such a huge impact on NZ, and strengthened anti-nuclear movement in NZ. This movement saw NZ become a leader in the South Pacific. For NZ Society, this leadership role saw us become a protector and advocator for smaller South Pacific nations. It also led to our shifting Foreign trade policy and alliances; from our dependence on Mother Britain, to our dependence on the ANZUS Treaty and the US for defence, to our country finally coming of age and re-branding itself as a fully independent leader in the South Pacific.

In conclusion, the declaration of the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone in 1985 was the result of a protest movement that had flourished over 20 years. The anti-nuclear movement a part of NZs identity, and sent the message to larger powers not to underestimate their smaller allies while positioning NZ as a nation that would speak up for both itself and for the rest of the South Pacific.