On the afternoon/evening of Tuesday 28 July 2009, the Cluster Munitions Prohibition Bill was debated by the New Zealand parliament for the first time. Minister of Disarmament and Arms Control, Hon. Georgina Te Heuheu, introduced the Bill and recommended the House follow the recommendation by the Foreign Affairs and Defence (FADT) Select Committee that the Bill be “expeditiously” passed. The proposed law to implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions must be passed before New Zealand can complete ratification of the Convention.

After the minister’s introduction, ten members of parliament spoke (the maximum number permitted), all in support of the Bill:

1. Leader of the Opposition Hon. Phil Goff (Labour, Mt Roskill) pledged Labour’s support for the Bill and said it was a personal privilege to be involved in the development of the Convention as then-Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control;

2. Minister of Defence Hon. Dr. Wayne Mapp (National, North Shore) paid tribute to the cluster bomb clearance work done by the New Zealand Defence Force in Lebanon and elsewhere;

3. FADT Select Committee Member Ross Robertson (Labour, Manukau East) paid tribute to Goff, New Zealand’s Amb. Don MacKay, and ANZCMC Coordinator Mary Wareham and everyone involved in ensuring New Zealand’s strong role in the establishment of the Convention;

4. Green Party Disarmament Spokesperson Dr. Kennedy Graham (Greens, list) described the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty and 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions as strong because they are “the twins of two parents” - Hague (disarmament) law and Geneva (humanitarian) law;

5. FADT Select Committee Chair Dr. John Hayes (National, Wairarapa) discussed NZAID’s support for rehabilitation programmes for cluster munition survivors and welcomed the cross-party support shown for the legislation, which he promised would progress “very quickly” through the select committee;

6. FADT Select Committee Member Dr. Paul Hutchison (Labour, Hunua) spoke after the dinner recess and said he hoped Israel, Russia, the UNited States and other non-signatories would sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions;

7. Labour’s Disarmament Spokesperson Phil Twyford (Labour, list) described the precedents set by the Mine Ban Treaty as important factors in determining the success of the Convention on Cluster Munitions and commended the active partnership between civil society and likeminded governments in both processes (watch on YouTube);

8. Te Ururoa Flavell (Maori, Waiariki) spoke in Maori to support for the Bill, citing the experience suffered by cluster munition victims as the key rationale. Flavell acknowledged the efforts of many individuals including John Head, Deborah Morris, Thomas Nash, and JohnRodsted;

9. FADT Select Committee Member Chris Carter  (Labour, Te Atatū) cited a resolution proposed by then-Labour MP Marion Hobbs on 8 November 2006 to secure New Zealand support for measures to prevent civilian harm from cluster munitions;

10. Michael Woodhouse (National, list) described his hope that the Bill would be passed quickly so that New Zealand could be among the first thirty states to ratify the Convention.

The Bill was then unanimously  referred to the FADT Select Committee for further deliberation.  Two more readings must be held before it is enacted. The ANZCMC is grateful for the acknowledgments it received and urges that the Bill be swiftly progressed so that New Zealand can ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Please note:

• The full statements are available online from the official Hansard record
• The photo taken by John Rodsted shows Goff with Afghan cluster bomb victim Soraj Habib during the Wellington Conference, 20 Feb. 2008.
• Minor party ACT did not speak, but according to the website of MP Heather Roy, ACT has endorsed the Bill

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