Sāmoa Citizenship Bill nears final approval

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is confident that a bill to restore New Zealand citizenship to certain Sāmoans will pass as it approaches its final reading later today.

Green MP Teanau Tuiono’s Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Sāmoa) Amendment Bill is approaching its final hurdle this afternoon.

It will be decided whether or not the bill becomes law.

The bill seeks to reverse what many have labelled a ‘racist law’ that stripped Western Sāmoan-born New Zealanders of automatic citizenship.

A moment of reckoning

During an appearance on Pacific Mornings, Hipkins described the bill as a critical step in addressing historical wrongs.

Watch Chris Hipkins' full interview.

“It’s righting a past wrong, and Parliament’s doing some of that now. I think that’s a good thing.

“If we could go back to when the first legislation was passed, I think you'd find the majority of Parliament would have never voted in favour of something that was that discriminatory now.”

Before its third reading, the bill passed through the Committee of the Whole House, allowing all members of Parliament to debate it in greater detail.

NZ First MP Andy Foster proposed an amendment to ensure that successful applicants are refunded their application fees.

The standard application fee for New Zealand citizenship is $470.20 for adults aged 16 and over.

Foster’s amendment was the only one that passed. At the same time, the government rejected two more amendments proposed by Tuiono - aimed at expanding eligibility to descendants of Sāmoans born before 1 January 1962 and waiving application fees entirely.

John Loau (left) and Christopher Luxon (right) Photo/Pacific Blues Facebook

Cross-party support and community advocacy

John Loau, the Chair of the National Party’s Pacific branch, expressed satisfaction with the bill’s progress.

National was the only party to vote against the bill during its first reading in April, despite many of its Pacific members, including former MP Anae Arthur Anae, advocating for support.

Speaking on Pacific Mornings, Loau said, “In all our discussions... we’re pretty happy with where we’ve landed.

“We’ve landed on a good compromise after consulting many groups... and I think this is probably the best that we can do to address this specifically for those who were impacted immediately.”

Loau emphasised the importance of Pacific advocacy within New Zealand’s political landscape.

The current government has faced criticism for its lack of Pacific MPs.

Green MP Teanau Tuiono's member's bill passed its first reading in April with support from all parties except National. Photo/Parliament TV

“The Pacific community has been keeping a close eye on this legislation for quite some time now,” Loau said.

The process, he suggested, has also highlighted the Pacific community’s growing influence within political parties.

“The Pacific Blues have done a tremendous job lobbying... ensuring that we present the views of the Sāmoan public and the wider Pacific community.”

Looking ahead

For many, the bill's third reading symbolises more than just legal restitution; it represents a step towards a more profound acknowledgement of the contributions of Pacific communities to New Zealand.

“What’s important is that we get this bill passed so that we can provide certainty and justice at long last to those who were delivered a huge injustice by the Parliament,” Hipkins said.

The bill is scheduled for its final reading in the House at 4pm.