Summary

'For A Nuclear Free Pacific' badge, alternatively known as a button, circa 1972 -1987. The slogan relates to the period of French nuclear testing in the Pacific. A total of 193 nuclear tests were carried out on the islands of Moruroa and Fangataufa during the period between 1966 and 1996. This programme was met with protest from various activists, whose main concerns were the large environmental damages such as dead fish and reef damage as well as the radioactive contamination across the area. The islands were also the site of many protests in the form of ship being sent there, the most famous one being the Rainbow Warrior, owned by Greenpeace.

New Zealand has been particularly vocal in protesting the French use of the region for nuclear testing and badges with this design were originally produced in New Zealand. However, this particular one was manufactured by Patrick Brothers, a Melbourne business. From 1975 onwards, protest movements were organised around an the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Group. In Australia and New Zealand, the campaign used badges such as this one alongside ones with the slogan 'Stop French Testing' and the badge of an island with a palm tree and a nuclear warhead, which also feature in the Museum Victoria collection.

Physical Description

This is a large badge. It has a pale blue background with yellow printed text edging the top of the badge and a yellow palm tree and yellow sun against this background. There is a dark blue wave at the bottom of the badge. There is a pin on the back.

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