Anti-nuclear Groups

These groups are only a small fraction of the groups who participated in anti-nuclear protest in New Zealand. Their dedication and commitment to their cause was a significant factor in the rest of the nation changing their minds on the issue, which allowed the government to enact a law change. 

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (NZ branch)

The NZCND was set up in 1959. It was a merging of anti-nuclear groups from Auckland, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The NZCND was founded by two women, Elsie Locke and Mary Woodward. Women were a huge part of the anti-nuclear protest movement, and this shows that. The aim of the CND was a South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, and the end of the arms race. The CND hosted marches, began petitions, held meetings, and distributed pamphlets. They mailed out pamphlets that encouraged people to declare their towns, suburbs, streets, and houses nuclear-free.

This is the symbol of the CND worldwide. The cross forms a semaphore signal for the letters N and D. It also symbolises 'the little man' standing against the world (the circle). The symbol has become the internationally recognised sign for peace.

This quilt was made in 1994, however it is about nuclear weapons testing. It was made by pacific island women, and the patches show Pacific and NZ plants and symbols. The border at the bottom translates to ‘International Year of World's Indigenous People’ (which had taken place the previous year in 1993). This commemorates and acknowledges the efforts of Pacific people in the anti-nuclear campaign.

PPANAC- Pacific People’s Anti-Nuclear Action Committee

As well as women, Pacific peoples were a large part of the protest movement. This group was headed by Hilda Halkyard-Harawira. They saw the testing in the Pacific as destroying Pacific communities, and felt that the nuclear war had not stopped- it had continued on in the Pacific since Hiroshima. Their distress is justified as the nuclear tests in the Pacific caused radiation poisoning to many, including at Rongelap, as well as fish poisoning. In the 1980s, Pacific and Maori people became more involved in the peace movement. The struggle reflected the land struggle that had occurred in New Zealand throughout its history. Their argument was that the land belonged to the Pacific people, and that they would never allow the weapons testing to happen, or military bases to be built on their land. At the Women on the Move event, Mere Taylor said “Indigenous people- Tangata Whenua- are being continuously ripped off of their lands, their moana, of their way of life”. 

Peace Squadron

The Peace Sqaudron began in about 1975.  The Peace Squadron was the name given to the people who rode out in their boats to protest the entry of any nuclear-carrying ships into NZ ports. It began with about 9 people.  Their aim was to “challenge the visitation to NZ of any nuclear-weapons “. They wanted to achieve a nuclear free South Pacific. Members of the group would sit up the top of Rangitoto and radio down to the boats on the water, informing them of the navy ships movements. The images of small yachts and kayaks blocking the way of the enormous Navy ships gave more weight to the ‘David and Goliath’ metaphor being used in the media at the time. 

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