Sāmoan citizenship bill’s progresses to second reading

The MP behind the bill that may restore the right to New Zealand citizenship for some Sāmoans says it’s a “great thing” it will enter its second reading following strong support at the select committee stage.

The Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill, which passed its first reading in April, aims to restore the right to NZ citizenship for Sāmoans stripped of it by the Citizenship (Western Sāmoa) Act 1982.

The select committee process received almost 25,000 submissions, with around half coming from Sāmoa, with the bill now moving to the next stage.

Speaking to William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Green MP Teanau Tuiono said the amendments made on his member’s bill were agreed on by the majority of the select committee.

"There are a couple of other things where ourselves and the Labour Party wanted that the rest of the committee didn't want," he said.

"But there was enough support to move it to the second reading and that's a great thing.”

Watch the full interview with Tuiono via 531pi’s FB below:

Community advocate Te’o Tupuivao Harry Fatu Toleafoa said the many submissions regarding the bill is a testament to the strong advocacy among communities.

“I think one submission in particular amassed just short of 6,000 signatures in regards to their submission.

“It was good that our community was able to mobilise and have their voices heard and it was great to see that the bill in its current form was accepted.”

Te’o said he had hoped, like many at Sāmoan community meetings held around the country, that citizenship extended to descendants and not just the approximately 5,000 elders who are still alive.

The elders in the Christchurch Samoan community gathered to discuss Green MP Teanau Tuiono's bill, Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill. Photo /RNZ/Caleb Fotheringham.

The complexities of the bill
Tuiono said strong submissions were made right across the country, including from the Pacific Lawyers Association alongside the aforementioned request to expand the bill's coverage to the 15,000 to 19,000 descendants.

"Ourselves and the Labour Party thought that was something that didn't have support around the select committee table, which is why it's moving forward with the original cohort in mind.

"There are other things around how the original 1982 bill impacts the protocol with the Treaty of Friendship as well."

The 1962 Treaty of Friendship, signed between NZ and the Sāmoan government, founded relations between the two countries based on close friendship with a focus on uplifting Sāmoan welfare.

This was also the same year Sāmoa gained its independence, becoming a sovereign nation.

Tuiono said the select committee wanted to avoid impacting the Treaty of Friendship as it could unravel its protocols, further complicating the process.

"Some of us wanted to continue to have a hard repeal of the original act.

"But then there was also the counter-argument around having it amended so you can retain some of those provisions."

Is this bill a step in the right direction for rectifying past mistreatment? Photo /Labour Party NZ.

Trauma to triumph: The many efforts of yesterday towards today
Te’o acknowledged the scaffolding effort by many over the years to get to this point, including the Mau a Samoa i le Sitiseni NZ, Arther Anae, Aupito William Sio, Tofilau Seiuli, and the thousands of people who put forward submissions.

He said this bill should not be viewed in isolation as many events transpired towards this, such as the work done for then-PM Helen Clark’s 2002 apology to Sāmoa for New Zealand’s abusive occupation of their country, to then-PM Jacinda Ardern’s 2021 ifoga apology for the 1970s Dawn Raids.

“I think for a lot of people there was trauma and so a lot of people saw hope in this bill,” Te’o said.

“A lot of people felt for the first time that they’ve been heard and also for many of our people it’s likely their first time engaging with the democratic process.

“All these pieces are trying to rectify wrongs that the government owes and so to see our people come out en masse to have their voices heard, to support the bill, provides hope that we can amend or rectify the harm that New Zealand administered in the past.”

Te’o commends the community for showing up for each other. Photo /Facebook/Harry Fatu Toleafoa.

Next steps
Tuiono said the next steps towards and after the second reading, if it passes a majority or unanimous support, is the Committees of the whole House (COTWH) process where parliament debates the bill.

"So, maybe things came up in that second reading that need to be worked on.

"If you get through the COTWH stage it goes to the third reading and after that, there's a timeframe where we have Royal Assent and then it becomes law.