Much of New Zealand tonight mourns the death of the man who created our nation's anti-nuclear stance in defiance of the super powers of the world's political arena.

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand David Lange, longtime proponent of nuclear disarmament, onetime lawyer and politician well noted for his rapier wit and verbal riposte, the man who won the debate over the nuclear issue with evangelist Jerry Falwell at the 1985 Oxford Debate and brought the house down when he told an opponent "if you hold your breath for just a moment - I can smell the uranium on it as you lean forward!" brought sweeping changes to social and market reforms and defied America when he told them to keep their nuclear crap out of our waters.

He pissed off the yanks and broke the ANZUS Security Alliance; he pissed off the French who in 1985 sent agents here who succeeded in their task to bomb the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour. A physical giant of a man with a matching intellect, heart and dignity, he stood head and shoulders above the world leaders who would sell their souls for a little more gold and a bigger gun to play with. He fearlessly took on the collective Goliath that was Thatcher, Mitterand and Reagan and he never missed a beat.

David Lange was a true Statesman.



He died last night after a long battle with diabetes from the complications of renal failure.

He was 63.