David Lange
David Russell Lange served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand, between 1984 and 1989, and headed New Zealand’s fourth Labour Government. Lange was born on the 4th of August, 1942 in Otahuhu, South Auckland, New Zealand. He was educated at Fairburn Primary School, Otara Intermediate School and Otahuhu College, before attending Auckland University, where he graduated in Law in 1965. In 1970, he gained a Masters in Law, and practised law in Northland and Auckland for some years. Lange joined the Labour Party in 1963, and after working there and campaigning for some 20 years, became leader of the Labour party on the 3rd of February, 1983. Then, on 26th of July, 1984, Lange became Prime Minister of New Zealand, and during his first term as Prime Minister, Lange also held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Lange became well-known worldwide, as he headed the long-running campaign in New Zealand against Nuclear weapons. Helen Clark later described New Zealand's nuclear free legislation as his brainchild. As referenced in the Causes section of this website, Lange took many major steps toward New Zealand becoming nuclear-free, in both his denying America’s USS Buchanan access to New Zealand waters, and in his well-known Oxford Union debate. Lange also played a major role in settling the Rainbow Warrior affair. After the bombing, in June 1986, Lange obtained a political deal with the French government over the Rainbow Warrior affair. France agreed to formally apologise, and pay compensation of NZ$13 million. In return for this, Lange agreed that the convicted French Officers Alain Mafart and Dominique Prieur would be imprisoned at the French military base on Hao Atoll for three years. However, this sentence did not follow through, as due to illness and pregnancy, each were freed having served less than two years of their sentence. After being re-elected in 1987, Lange resigned on the 9th of August, 1989, feeling there was no confidence in his leadership. Lange died on the 13th of August, 2005, due to blood disease and medical complications.
David Russell Lange served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand, between 1984 and 1989, and headed New Zealand’s fourth Labour Government. Lange was born on the 4th of August, 1942 in Otahuhu, South Auckland, New Zealand. He was educated at Fairburn Primary School, Otara Intermediate School and Otahuhu College, before attending Auckland University, where he graduated in Law in 1965. In 1970, he gained a Masters in Law, and practised law in Northland and Auckland for some years. Lange joined the Labour Party in 1963, and after working there and campaigning for some 20 years, became leader of the Labour party on the 3rd of February, 1983. Then, on 26th of July, 1984, Lange became Prime Minister of New Zealand, and during his first term as Prime Minister, Lange also held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Lange became well-known worldwide, as he headed the long-running campaign in New Zealand against Nuclear weapons. Helen Clark later described New Zealand's nuclear free legislation as his brainchild. As referenced in the Causes section of this website, Lange took many major steps toward New Zealand becoming nuclear-free, in both his denying America’s USS Buchanan access to New Zealand waters, and in his well-known Oxford Union debate. Lange also played a major role in settling the Rainbow Warrior affair. After the bombing, in June 1986, Lange obtained a political deal with the French government over the Rainbow Warrior affair. France agreed to formally apologise, and pay compensation of NZ$13 million. In return for this, Lange agreed that the convicted French Officers Alain Mafart and Dominique Prieur would be imprisoned at the French military base on Hao Atoll for three years. However, this sentence did not follow through, as due to illness and pregnancy, each were freed having served less than two years of their sentence. After being re-elected in 1987, Lange resigned on the 9th of August, 1989, feeling there was no confidence in his leadership. Lange died on the 13th of August, 2005, due to blood disease and medical complications.
David Lange's famous Oxford Union Debate, 1 March, 1985.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace International was formed in 1972. Greenpeace is a non-Governmental, environmental organization, which focuses its efforts on solving worldwide issues like global warming, deforestation, nuclear power and lots more. It has offices in over forty countries, and is well known for taking direct action against issues it faces. Greenpeace claims its goal is to “ ensure the ability of the earth to nurture life in all its diversity”. Greenpeace New Zealand’s formation was due largely in part to the anti-nuclear movement in New Zealand. Greenpeace played an extremely large and vital role in the anti-nuclear movement in New Zealand. Greenpeace sent many ships to protest French nuclear testing at Mururoa Atoll, namely the ship Vega, which is described in the Actions Taken section of this website. One of Greenpeace’s most important ships was the Rainbow Warrior. This ship became one of Greenpeace's most well-known protest ships. On the 10th of July, 1985, just as it was about to set sail again to continue protesting against French nuclear testing, it was bombed and sunk. This deeply affected greenpeace's ability to protest, and caused outrage between New Zealand and France.
The French Government
The French Government were a significant group responsible for the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior. The French Government began conducting nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific Ocean in the 1950s. A main site used by the French government for these nuclear tests was the Mururoa Atoll. This atoll was established as a nuclear test site by France on September 21, 1962, and officially began being used in 1966. Here was the site where numerous Greenpeace ships, including the Rainbow Warrior, and the Vega ship, mentioned more extensively in the Actions Taken section of this website. The French Government were clearly pestered by New Zealand's, and specifically, Greenpeace's efforts to disrupt their nuclear testing in the Pacific. This then culminated in the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior. This bombing caused a large strain on New Zealand's relations with France, and public outrage, as the two were Allies at the time. To make matters worse, France initially denied any involvement in the bombing, which led to even further outrage. In all, the French government played a large part in both the events that led up to the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, and the bombing itself.
The French Government were a significant group responsible for the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior. The French Government began conducting nuclear weapons tests in the Pacific Ocean in the 1950s. A main site used by the French government for these nuclear tests was the Mururoa Atoll. This atoll was established as a nuclear test site by France on September 21, 1962, and officially began being used in 1966. Here was the site where numerous Greenpeace ships, including the Rainbow Warrior, and the Vega ship, mentioned more extensively in the Actions Taken section of this website. The French Government were clearly pestered by New Zealand's, and specifically, Greenpeace's efforts to disrupt their nuclear testing in the Pacific. This then culminated in the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior. This bombing caused a large strain on New Zealand's relations with France, and public outrage, as the two were Allies at the time. To make matters worse, France initially denied any involvement in the bombing, which led to even further outrage. In all, the French government played a large part in both the events that led up to the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, and the bombing itself.