Last night marked a unique event in Parliament; for the first time since the new Government was formed, there was a split in votes. The National Party opposed a bill, while ACT and New Zealand First supported it.
The split in the usual voting pattern of the three Government parties occurred after 5 pm, with the National Party voting against a bill presented by Teanau Tuiono from the Greens. Surprisingly, New Zealand First and ACT voted in favour of it. This bill, in its first reading, passed and will now proceed to the Select Committee.
What’s the bill about? It’s called the Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill. This bill aims to create a pathway to citizenship for Samoans born between 1924 and 1949. In 1982, the National government, led by Sir Robert Muldoon, passed a law stripping citizenship from Western Samoans who had obtained it before New Zealand citizenship existed.
Why is this split vote unusual? Under the previous Labour-majority Government, there was usually unanimous voting, as it consisted of only one party. However, the current Government is a coalition of three parties. Usually, the Government parties decide together on bills, but this time it was different because the bill was brought forward by an Opposition member. Member’s bills, like this one, are rare opportunities for Opposition members to introduce their proposals.
What were the arguments for and against the bill? The National Party, which voted against it, expressed concerns about creating a legal precedent and questioned the appropriateness of the bill as a member’s bill. On the other hand, parties like New Zealand First, ACT, Greens, Labour, and Te Pāti Māori supported the bill, citing reasons of fairness, equality, and rectifying past injustices.
The bill’s passage through the Select Committee will allow for further public input and discussion before any final decisions are made.
[original text by 1News]