There was some surprise support from the opposite side of the chamber for Green MP Teanau Tuiono's Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill as it passed its first reading, 10 April 2024. Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
The progress of a bill that will, if ultimately passed, provide a pathway to citizenship for a group of Samoans, is another step towards Pasifika justice, the Green Party says.
Its spokesperson for Pacific Peoples Teanau Tuiono's Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill has just passed its second reading in Parliament on Thursday morning.
The Bill was supported by all parties, including the National Party which did not support it during the first reading.
National supported the Bill this time on the provision that only those born between 1924 and 1949 will be offered citizenship and not the descendants of the group.
Tuiono said it marks another momentous step on the journey towards justice in Aotearoa.
"The progress of this Bill so far couldn't have been achieved without the inter-generational efforts of the Samoan community who shared their stories with the select committee," he said.
"Among those in the public gallery today were members of the very community whose right to citizenship was removed. I hope the passage of my Bill goes some way to atoning for past wrongs by the state."
About 25,000 public submissions were made during the select committee process, with about half of those coming from Samoa.