(a) The South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty of 6 August 1985 (the text of which is set out in Schedule 1 to this Act): (b) The Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water of 5 August 1963 (the text of which is set out in Schedule 2 to this Act): (c) The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1 July 1968 (the text of which is set out in Schedule 3 to this Act): (d) The Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Sea-bed and the Ocean floor and in the Subsoil Thereof of 11 February 1971 (the text of which is set out in Schedule 4 to this Act): In 1987, the Fourth Labour Government passed the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act.

[4] Anti-nuclear opinion was exacerbated with the sinking of the Greenpeace protest ship the Rainbow Warrior (1955) on 10 July 1985.

[7] New Zealand National Party MP Marilyn Waring threatened to cross the floor and vote for Prebble's anti-nuclear bill.

This challenged Prime Minister Robert Muldoon's leadership, as the National Government had a majority of only one person in Parliament.

Many supporters of the Labour Government asserted that the party had been elected to make New Zealand nuclear free.

This was a popular stand, and by the end of the year nearly 40 towns and boroughs had declared themselves nuclear free.

[11] The significance of the Act lies in its affirmation that New Zealand exists as an independent and proud democracy concerned about the future of the planet.

The Act was recognised as being a leader amongst peace and disarmament initiatives and for having fundamentally changed New Zealand’s culture, role and identity on the world stage.