Fallout

The summary is entirely wrong. The Labour Party was not elected in 1984 on an anti-nuclear policy. The Lange government banned American ship visits, and later introduced legislation to ban nuclear weapons, virtually by accident. Lange had miscalculated American policy and politicians, and found himself in a corner he could not get out of. As with any blustering left wing populist leader, he then resorted to petty nationalism and anti-Americanism.

Supporters of the anti-nuclear policy still like to refer to "our" anti-nuclear stand. The policy was neither popular nor was it a stand by the people. It was a mistake. Opinion polls at the time showed a majority supported ANZUS and opposed the ship ban.