Former Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi claims it’s easier for Samoans to get to hell than to New Zealand. Now an opposition leader, Tuilaepa is in Auckland with his Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) for a public hearing on the ‘Restoring Citizenship Removed By Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act Bill.’
This bill aims to restore New Zealand citizenship for people born in Western Samoa between 1924 and 1949, whose citizenship was revoked by the 1982 Act. Tuilaepa criticised the visa-free agreement between New Zealand and China, which allows 1.4 billion Chinese citizens to visit New Zealand, contrasting it with the difficulties Samoans face in obtaining visas.
He also discussed the importance of the Treaty of Friendship with New Zealand and accused New Zealand immigration officials of racism. The issue dates back to a 1982 Privy Council ruling that recognised Western Samoans born after 13 May 1924, as New Zealand citizens. To prevent a large influx of claims, New Zealand revoked their citizenship in 1982.
The bill has generated a fair amount of public interest, with about 24,500 submissions received according to a report by RNZ. Fale Andrew Lesa, a descendant of Falema’i Lesa who successfully argued her New Zealand citizenship case before the Privy Council, spoke of fairness in his submission.
Other submissions include the Association of Samoan Ministers in New Zealand, Ioane Fuiava, David Lui, Sauniuni Seleni, Telei’ai Edwin Puni, the chairman of the Pacific Leadership forum and more (Submitters List).
Governance and Administration Committee chairperson Rachel Boyack thanked the public for their engagement in the hearings.
