ACT and New Zealand First have caused a stir in Parliament tonight by backing a bill that would grant New Zealand citizenship to a group of individuals born in what was then Western Samoa, but had their citizenship revoked by law in 1982.
The bill, proposed by Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono, aims to provide justice to approximately 5,000 older Samoans born between 1924 and 1949. It passed its first reading with widespread support, except from the National Party.
The bill addresses a long-standing grievance since 1982 when legislation undid a Privy Council ruling granting citizenship to those born in Western Samoa before 1949.
‘Fairness is at the heart of the bill,’ Tuiono said in Parliament.
‘It is very simple. We had a group of New Zealand citizens who had their citizenship recognised and then they had their citizenship removed by statute.
‘It’s just unfair, plain and simple. The state should not be able to remove citizenship wholesale like this.’
The Restoring Citizenship Removed by Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill will now go to a select committee for further consideration. If passed, it will provide affected individuals with a pathway to reclaim their citizenship rights without having to undergo the standard residency and citizenship application processes.
Have ACT and NZ1 have lost their mind? The bill, proposed by Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono, aims to give citizenship to people living overseas, NOT the ones who already live here.
Where will the funds come frome to care for really old people aged between 75 and 100, with their associated needs for medical and pension support, without having ever contributed to this country?
I creasingly ACT and NZ1 are loosing good judgement of citizen’s will.
We will never forget.
We will never forgive.