Holiday blues
I RESPOND to Mike Field’s article, ‘‘Even leaders need a break’’ (News, January 13). David Lange came to power in 1984 not with ‘‘a vague promise of a nuclear-free New Zealand’’ but a firm commitment to do so. The issue was one of the reasons for then PM Muldoon calling a snap election in July 1984 – he could not muster a majority against anti-nuclear legislation introduced by Labour’s Richard Prebble. Second, Lange did not go to the Tokelau on holiday, as is claimed. It was an official visit. Third, Lange did not ‘‘learn the Americans wanted to send frigate USS Buchanan to Wellington’’ in Pago Pago. He knew about the US request before he went to Tokelau. Fourth, and most important: it’s totally false to claim ‘‘in Lange’s absence the Buchanan was refused entry’’. I met Lange in Pago Pago with official papers and no decision had been taken on the Buchanan request. Lange returned to Wellington and Cabinet on January 28, 1985, and agreed with then Deputy PM Geoffrey Palmer’s view that the Buchanan request should be denied. YOUR INTERESTING article about the holidays taken by our prime ministers reminded me of that growling voice from Hatfields Beach. It also reminded me that Helen Clark’s frequent travel to very expensive holidays on European and American skifields and mountains was paid for by us, the taxpayer, and her husband and various MP hangers-on like Chris Carter also travelled on the taxpayer dollar. It must have cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars for her to enjoy such extravagant holidays. In contrast, John Key has opened up MPs’ travel to public scrutiny, reduced entitlements and pays for holidays out of his own pocket. Also, unlike his predecessor, he even pays for his wife to accompany him on official trips. Some may say he can afford it. In that case so could Helen Clark, a very wealthy woman. Interesting that often it is the conservative who lives by principles while the socialist preaches one thing and does another – especially when there is a trough of public money to exploit. A SMALL correction to the article about our prime ministers, ‘‘Even leaders need a break’’. David Lange was indeed on Tokelau as the ‘‘Buchanan crisis’’ was coming to a head in January 1985. But he was home and had met with both his Cabinet and the Labour Party caucus before the decision to reject a visit from a nuclear weapons’ capable warship was announced. He was home in time to know that his office had been inundated with mountainous quantities of mail and telegrams.
No email back then. He was also around when 10,000 people marched in Queen St at two days’ notice to say no to nuclear visitors: ‘‘If in doubt keep them out.’’ He wrote later that the march did not influence him. But I am convinced that New Zealand went nuclear free because the strength of public feeling left the Government with no wriggle room. The key thing is, it is a story that belongs to all of us, not the politicians alone. one most important criterion, Britain is the most pre-eminent first-tier European country, or at worst a close second to France. This is due to the fact that it has the most nuclear weapons in Europe that are deliverable in as militarily adroit fashion as possible, courtesy of its four nuclear-armed Vanguard submarines, one of which is always at sea and capable of raining down multiple nuclear warheads anywhere on the planet.
By the same token, Britain is still a major first-tier world power, just behind America, Russia, and possibly China, tied with France.
Your editorial of January 13 reveals a shocking disconnection with world realpolitik on the part of your editorial writer.