A Samoan member of parliament for the Green Party in New Zealand, Teanau Tuiono has labeled the legislation to restore New Zealand citizenship for Samoans removed in 1982, as "incredibly racist" and problematic.

Pacific Media Network reported that Tuiono submitted a member's bill to repeal the Citizenship Act (Western Samoa) 1982 which is expected to have its first Parliament reading in two weeks.

Speaking to Pacific Mornings, a radio program, Tuiono emphasized the importance of an upcoming bill aimed at addressing historical injustices experienced by Pacific communities in New Zealand.

“If you go back and read that piece of legislation, for me, it’s incredibly problematic, it’s incredibly racist, and it needs to be removed from the books," he said.

Samoa was governed by New Zealand between 1920 and 1962 under United Nations and League of Nations mandates. However, after gaining independence in 1962, the status of citizenship in New Zealand became unsettled.

The legislation intends to rectify past discriminatory practices, including the contentious removal of citizenship from Samoan elders. 

Tuiono speaks about the infamous case of Falema’i Lesa, who took her citizenship claim to the Privy Council in 1982.

A significant court battle resulted in the council’s decision to state that all Samoans born between 1924 and 1948 were British subjects. And that in 1949 they and their descendants had become New Zealand citizens. 

Tuiono says the decision was not honoured by the New Zealand government at the time, who then unilaterally removed citizenship while carrying out deportations and dawn raids.

“It’s incredibly divisive and racist. This bill is an attempt to rectify that and it’s important to recognise that part of history. First of all repealing that act, but then providing a space for those elders that are still with us.”

Despite encountering delays, Tuiono maintains optimism regarding the bill's advancement and calls for active engagement from Samoan communities to ensure their perspectives are considered in the parliamentary proceedings.

“It keeps getting put off, a lot of things keep happening, and who knows how the order will shift around as well. But I’m pretty confident it’s gonna be up in a couple of weeks. (My) role now is to try and get numbers around the House to actually get it over the first hill.”

He stresses the need for bipartisan support to facilitate substantive dialogue and progress, urging members of all political parties to advocate for meaningful discussion and action on this critical issue.

“Just tell them that you want to have your say. That you want to be able to actually share your views at the Select Committee and in order for you to do that it has to be able to get through the first reading.

“Asking for people that are in those government parties in particular to get their members of parliament to support that, to put pressure within their various caucuses … to at least enable this discussion to happen at the Select Committee.”