Shelley+Oral

Nuclear power is energy which is produced with the use of a controlled nuclear reaction. Many nations use nuclear power plants to produce electricity for both civilian and military use, and some nations also consume nuclear power to run parts of their naval fleets, especially submarines. Some people favour an expansion of nuclear power plants because this form of energy is considered cleaner than fossil fuels such as coal, although nuclear power comes with a number of problems which must be addressed, including the safe disposal of radioactive waste products. So, should New Zealand build nuclear power stations? I don’t think so. My first point is that if New Zealand does start building nuclear power plants we would have a high chance of becoming very polluted because of the radioactive waste, which would endanger the native animals even further, maybe to extinction! Also, if New Zealand does build nuclear powers plants and start using them then this would not help our situation with climate change. I think it would also wreck New Zealand’s international “Clean ‘n’ Green” image. Also, I think that although Nuclear power does not produce green house gases and it produces a toxic waste which is radioactive and extremely dangerous, requiring an extensive road and rail network to secure the power plant and to handle the fuel. In our world of recurring wars, any nuclear installation can become a target. That could mean widespread radiation for centuries. It would destroy the country's agricultural export industry. That's butter, milk, meat, etc. Lastly, although this may seem unlikely now, the world is only in the beginning phases of a new nuclear weapons battle. This is sparked by US policies of wars based on lies, new nuclear weapons and new strategies of using nuclear weapons in nuclear wars, or introducing nuclear weapons into predictable wars. Any countries caught up in the wars of the future, risk devastation. More nuclear weapon nations increase the risks of a nuclear war by accident, miscalculation or madness and I don’t think that would help New Zealand much if they did switch to nuclear. Therefore nuclear reactors in countries at war can become targets. They are likely to be seen as much greater risks in the future, when it is too late to change back to other power sources. New Zealand’s nuclear free zone, in 1984, Prime Minister David Lange barred nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships from using New Zealand ports or entering New Zealand waters. Under the New Zealand nuclear free zone, disarmament, and arms control act 1987, territorial sea, land and air space of New Zealand became nuclear-free zones. The act prohibits “entry into the internal waters of New Zealand 12 miles or 22.2 km radius by any ship whose propulsion is wholly or partly dependent on nuclear power.” And bans the dumping of radioactive waste within the nuclear free zone, as well as prohibiting any New Zealand citizen or resident “to manufacture, acquire, posses or have any control over any nuclear explosive device.” After the disarmament and arms control act was passed by the Lange Labour government, the United States government suspended its ANZUS obligations to New Zealand. The legislation was a milestone in New Zealand’s development as a nation and seen as an important act of sovereignty, self determination and cultural identity. New Zealand’s three decade anti-nuclear campaign is the only successful movement of its type in the world so far which resulted in the nation’s nuclear free status being enshrined in legislation. Overall I think that New Zealand is doing just fine without nuclear power, so why should we start building nuclear power stations now?

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