Nuclear energy is not all bad according to the United Nation's former chief weapons inspector for Iraq.

Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission chairman Hans Blix has been quizzed on his views during a visit to New Zealand. He points out that conventional power sources create waste such as sulphur and carbon dioxide. Dr Blix is more worried about greenhouse gas effects in the next 50 years than a gram of plutonium leaking in 10,000 years from now.

Disarmament Minister Phil Goff says with much of New Zealand's energy supplied by hydroelectric sources and new sustainable sources coming on line, the country is in the position of not having to contemplate going nuclear.