Story: Labour Party

Prime Minister Norman Kirk, 1973

Norman Kirk, prime minister during the third Labour government, believed New Zealand could take a prominent role in world affairs. To reinforce the country's opposition to atmospheric nuclear tests, in 1973 he ordered a naval frigate into the French testing zone at Moruroa (Mururoa) Atoll in the South Pacific. Watch this clip from the 1986 television documentary The Rainbow Warrior affair, showing this dramatic incident.

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How to cite this page:

Peter Aimer, 'Labour Party - Second and third Labour governments', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/34037/prime-minister-norman-kirk-1973 (accessed 21 April 2024)

Story by Peter Aimer, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Jan 2023