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
An historic bill to restore entitlement to New Zealand citizenship for people born in Western Samoa between 1924 and 1949 has passed its second reading in Parliament.
Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono's bill was supported by all parties, including National, which did not back it during the first reading.
National MP Tom Rutherford was even emotional talking about the past injustice Samoans had faced at the hands of New Zealand.
"To our Samoan community watching today, this legislation acknowledges your place in the fabric of our nation and reaffirms the special relationship between our two countries," he said.
Labour MP Barbara Edmonds said New Zealand needed to acknowledge the Treaty of Friendship between the countries.
Edmonds, along with others who spoke, talked through the history of past wrongs. It included the 1918 flu outbreak that New Zealand was responsible for that killed close to a third of the nation's population and Black Saturday where several peaceful protesters were killed by New Zealand policemen.
She said the latest crisis was the Manawanui, which sank earlier this month after running aground off the south coast of Samoa's main island.
"We need to ensure we do not trample on the friendship again and right that wrong. I acknowledge there is work being done but please listen to the Samoan people on the ground, please listen to those villagers who can not fish, please listen to those villagers who can not put food on their family's tables."
In 1982, the Privy Council ruled that because those born in Western Samoa were treated by New Zealand law as "natural-born British subjects", they were entitled to New Zealand citizenship when it was created in 1948.
However, the National government at the time, with support from Labour, took that away with the Western Samoa Citizenship Act 1982, effectively overturning the Privy Council ruling.
Tuiono said his party and Labour wanted to see the entitlement broaden, while National supported the second reading on the condition it applied to only the initial cohort.
On 1 January 1962 Samoa became independent of New Zealand.
Many submissions from the Samoan community wanted the immediate descendants of the group, and those born prior to 1962, included in the offer of citizenship.
Among those calling for that was chairman of the Pacific leadership forum, Teleiai Edwin Puni.
"The sad thing is for those that have missed out, 42 years many have passed away but for the lost time can we make something out of it by adding a little bit more - not 1948 but taking it up to 1961," he said.
"I'm hoping that after today National including ACT as well as New Zealand First can look at some of the areas that we can progress a little bit more."
Samoa's Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa said what happened with the bill is a matter for New Zealand.
"We will not get in the way of Samoans who want to peruse that but as a government we are not participating in the dialogue."
The nation in the recent past has struggled with depopulation, including having skilled workers leave for New Zealand's recognised seasonal employment scheme.
If the bill is extended to those born before 1962 it could mean about 19,000 people are given citizenship, up from about 3500.
"The depopulation issue, we're already depopulated in many ways and that's the ongoing challenge for us, but that's a conversation for us," Fiamē said.
Savea Reverend Kilikamesa Eli, who was part of the community cohort at Parliament, said his mother aged 86 will be able to get citizenship through the bill if it becomes law, but he was sad his mother-in-law who also would have been eligible died last week.
Eli said he would have wanted more included in the bill, like extending it to people born prior to 1962, but was pleased it was at least something.
His feelings were echoed by others in the community who hope the bill will include a wider group before it becomes law - but today the community is taking the second reading as a victory.