BeehiveParliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee met twice in May 2009 to consider the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. It issued a “treaty examination” report recommending that the Minister of Disarmament “expeditiously” progress a bill through the House to implement the treaty domestically. The annexed National Interest Analysis (NIA) prepared by MFAT provides some recommendations on content for the proposed “Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill,” which will be “broadly similar” to the Anti-Personnel Mines Prohibition Act 1998 that implemented the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.

New Zealand’s Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control, Hon. Georgina Te Heuheu has told the coalition that she is working for the government to complete ratification of the Convention on Cluster Munitions by December 2009, the one year anniversary of treaty signing. Past experience on landmines indicates this timeframe is possible. But in late June 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) indicated that the introduction of implementing legislation, which must be passed before New Zealand can ratify, will not occur for “at least a few more months” due to other parliamentary business and the recess.

In June 2009, the coalition wrote to members of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee and other parliamentarians to urge New Zealand’s swift ratification of the Convention. A new “Banning Cluster Munitions” report by Human Rights Watch was also distributed. Several responses have been received (see below), including from former Minister of Disarmament Hon. Phil Goff. Ratification is proceeding elsewhere including Australia where their National Interest Analysis was tabled in parliament on 11 March 2009.

There is a clear humanitarian imperative to ensure that the Convention on Cluster Munitions takes effect as quickly as possible to avoid future casualties from the weapon. A total of thirty ratifications are required to trigger entry into force six month later.  As of 2 July, ten signatories had completed ratification: Albania, Austria, Ireland, Holy See, Laos, Mexico, Niger, Norway, Sierra Leone, and Spain.

See also:

  • Letter from ANZCMC to FADT, 21 June 2009
  • Letter from Hon. Phil Goff, Leader of the Opposition, 30 June 2009
  • Letter from Paul Hutchison, FADT Committee (National, Hunua), 22 June 2009
  • Letter from Hon. Pete Hodgson, FADT Committee (Labour, Dunedin), 23 June 2009

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