Australia’s nuclear submarine fleet banned from New Zealand waters

Australia’s nuclear submarines will be able to travel vast distances without needing to dock, but there is one place they cannot go.

Jacinda Ardern has declared Australia’s nuclear submarine fleet will be banned from New Zealand waters.

The Kiwis have been nuclear-free since the 1980s and have no interest in relaxing the ban.

“New Zealand’s position in relation to the prohibition of nuclear powered vessels in our waters remains unchanged,” Ms Ardern said on Thursday.

“New Zealand is first and foremost a nation of the Pacific and we view foreign policy developments through the lens of what is in the best interest of the region.”

Jacinda Ardern has announced a hard ban on the operation of Australia’s new nuclear submarines in New Zealand waters. Picture: Mark Mitchell / POOL / AFP) / POOL.

The landmark AUKUS deal will see Australia work alongside the US and UK to develop a nuclear powered submarine fleet. Picture: Adam Taylor/PMO.

The landmark deal will see Australia work alongside the US and UK to develop a nuclear powered submarine fleet.

Ms Ardern said although the new submarines would not be welcome within her country’s borders, she was still in favour of the new deal between Australia, the US and the UK.

“We welcome the increased engagement of the UK and US in the region and reiterate our collective objective needs to be the delivery of peace and stability and the preservation of the international rules based system,” she said.

New Zealand was not part of the nuclear submarine deal.

But Ms Adern said it would not change her country’s close security and intelligence ties with the three nations, which are all members of the Five Eyes alliance, along with Canada.

New Zealand has held a firm nuclear-free policy since the 1980s and Ms Ardern made it clear the nation had no intention of lifting the ban.

Originally published as Australia’s nuclear submarine fleet banned from New Zealand waters