Tangimoana role proper, says P.M.

Press, 30 January 1986, Page 15

Tangimoana role proper, says P.M.

PA Wellington New Zealand’s Intelligence gathering would be enhanced by the expansion of the Tangimoana defence monitoring unit, says the Prime Minister, Mr Lange.

However, he has rejected allegations that the facility is part of a United States nuclear weapons targeting network.

He affirmed that the defence facility is “gathering Intelligence,” but for New Zealand.

More than 80 peace protesters concerned about the erection of

three new antennae at Tangimoana held a protest recently outside the communications installation north of Foxton. >.

Questioned at a postCabinet press conference, Mr Lange at first would not comment on the expansion beyond saying it was for “proper purposes.”

Asked whether the expansion followed the cutting off of Intelligence to New Zealand by the United States, he said: "Without my going into any security aspects ... you have obvious justifica-

tion for that (expansion) ... that New Zealand is gathering Intelligence.” However, it did not follow that the Intelligence was passed on to the United States. .

The expansion had been made so that the facility “might do its job better.” It was an expansion of capacity, not of function, said Mr Lange. “There is certainly no increase in establishment at Tangimoana.” As had been stated by the previous Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, it was wrong to suggest that Tangimoana was part of a nuclear-targeting facility. Mr Lange said it was easy to make up all sorts of "conspiratorial theories” about Tangimoana.

“Unfortunately aerials do look menacing. They look in fact ... distinctingly sinister. “It is a simple fact those sinister pieces of apparatus have the capacity to communicate.” In 1984 Sir Robert Muldoon told Parliament that Tangimoana was categorically not part of any weapons-targeting system. It was no more a target than any other New Zealand defence facility, Sir Robert said, and it did not monitor New Zealand’s communications, nor those of "our friends in the Pacific.” Sir Robert also said Tangimoana reported to the Government Communications Security Bureau in Wellington and did not come under the direction of any Government or external agency other than the New Zealand Government.