Australian nuclear submarines banned from NZ waters, says Jacinda Ardern

Despite welcoming US-UK engagement in Indo-Pacific, New Zealand’s position on nuclear-powered vessels ‘remains unchanged’.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says Australian nuclear-powered submarines will be banned from New Zealand waters. Picture: Getty

Australian nuclear-powered submarines will be banned from entering New Zealand’s waters, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed.

Ms Ardern said on Thursday that Scott Morrison had briefed her on the AUKUS pact and welcomed the US and Britain’s ongoing engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

But the New Zealand Prime Minister said in a statement there would be no change to her country’s longstanding ban on nuclear vessels.

“New Zealand’s position in relation to the prohibition of nuclear powered vessels in our waters remains unchanged,” she told New Zealand news service Newshub.

“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.

“(The AUKUS pact) in no way changes our security and intelligence ties with these three countries, as well as Canada”. New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States are members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network.”

New Zealand’s nuclear ban has led to tensions with Washington in the past and then-US president Ronald Reagan suspended its ANZUS treaty obligations to Wellington in the 1980s until US nuclear boats where allowed in New Zealand ports.