On the 31st May 2024 at 11:59pm, all submissions on the Private Members Bill on Restoring Citizenship Removed by the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 closed. This Bill was tabled in the New Zealand Parliament by Green Party List MP, Teanau Tuiono. The Leader of the Human Rights Protection Party, Hon.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, has made a submission to the New Zealand Parliament Select Committee in support of the fundamental rights of all citizens of Samoa whose New Zealand citizenships were confirmed by the Privy Council decision of 1982 but stripped by the Muldoon government later in 1982. Tuilaepa’s submission has been distributed as a Letter to the Editor for publication. It is printed in verbatim below: Greetings to the Chairperson and the Honourable Members of the Special Parliamentary Committee.
With due respect and humility, I wish to present this submission to the Select Committee established to review the proposed bill on the New Zealand citizenship rights of Samoans born between 1924 -1949 as per Privy Council decision dated 28 July 1982 on an Appeal case submitted by a Samoan lady Ms Lesa who was facing deportation in 1982. A rushed Legislation to remove the citizenship rights of Samoans as per Privy Council Decision and put in place a Protocol in record time of less than 8 weeks reflected a clear determination not to honour the legally expressed intention of the leaders of New Zealand when Samoa was under their Administration that those born during their .
