Is ANZUS to be reformed?

USS Texas visiting Auckland in 1983

According to the NZ Herald: The United States is publicly calling for "comprehensive dialogue" with New Zealand to repair a relationship it implies has lacked trust and respect since the rift over anti-nuclear legislation in the mid-80s.

The call was made in a hard-hitting speech in Wellington last night by departing United States ambassador Charles Swindells - though he did not use the word "nuclear" once.

This looks like a slight policy change from the USA's point of view. I am sure that they still use the neither confirm or deny policy, so unless it is a diesel cargo boat I am not sure if NZ would allow the vessel in. NZ's law would need too, and should be ammended to at least allow nuclear powered vessels in. It is not the cold war anymore, and if a USS sub rolls in it does not mean that a Russian Typhoon class is tailing with it's weapons locked in on the US vessel. The only worry would be people trying to damage the vessel, which would happen if it was deisel, electric, or nuclear powered anyway.

I call upon the NZ government to get into these dialogues forthwith..... Resurect ANZUS and order 10 or 20 F16 while you are at it... If Labour doesn't I am sure that NATIONAL / ACT / NZ First will...

The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act, 1987 bans nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered ships from entering New Zealand's territorial waters.

The Prime Minister may grant approval to foreign warships if she is satisfied they are not carrying nuclear weapons.