PM meets with frontline Manawanui responders, avoids questions regarding apology

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon won’t confirm whether or not the government would apologise for passing a law which took away the right to New Zealand citizenship for some Sāmoans.

The Citizenship (Western Sāmoa) Act 1982 was passed by the Muldoon government which stripped the right to New Zealand citizenship for Sāmoans born between 1924 and 1949.

Green MP Teanau Tuiono’s member’s bill aims to restore the right to citizenship for some Sāmoans.

The bill passed its second reading in the House on Thursday morning with support from all parties.

Luxon expressed his satisfaction at the bill’s progress, stating that while there is still a third reading to go, it marks a significant step toward righting historical wrongs.

Luxon speaking to press at the Taumeasina Hideaway. Photo/MFAT Pacific

“It's been important both for Samoa but more importantly for New Zealand that we have that really contained to the people that were impacted by that decision back in 1982,” he told PMN News.

“So rather than repeal the 1982 Bill, what we've done is amend the Bill to say that if you were born between 1924 and 1949, which was when citizenship was stripped from those individuals, that will be limited to that cohort, with a few exceptions.

“We just want to make sure that it actually has got some limits and constraints around it.”

When asked whether the government should issue an apology for what many have labelled a racist law, he reiterated that the current focus was on amend the bill.

“We're only in the second reading. We obviously need to have a third reading and then go through more committees of the whole in a third reading before it becomes a law. So there's still a wee way to go through the Parliament.

“But again, what you've seen is the political parties all coming around saying, ‘okay, yes, there was a mistake that needs to be made right’.

“We're going to do that in a very appropriate way to make sure that it's really targeted and specific to that cohort of about three and a half thousand people that were impacted by the decision.”

Landing in Sāmoa on Thursday afternoon, shortly after the bill passed its second reading, he met with New Zealand Defence Force staff leading the response to the Manawanui incident.

Luxon met with NZDF staff handling the Manawanui incident. Photo/Ala Vailala

Luxon also wouldn’t confirm whether he’d issue a formal apology for the sinking during his trip in Sāmoa nor if he would be meeting with locals affected by the incident.

“It's something I've obviously conveyed that we're incredibly sorry for what was an unfortunate accident. There was a ship here trying to support CHOGM by doing surveying activity.

“We've obviously got 460 New Zealanders here also supporting CHOGM, we've spent 15 million New Zealand dollars supporting it as well.

“I have conveyed that very much to the Acting Prime Minister immediately and the Prime Minister, that we are sorry that we've got this unfortunate accident we're having to work our way through and deal with.

“We're doing everything we can, we're putting all of our resources into it.”

Luxon met with King Charles earlier today. Photo/supplied