Historic law change affects thousands of Samoans.
The New Zealand Labour Party has welcomed the passage of the Restoring Samoan Citizenship Bill into law after it completed its third reading on November 21, 2024. The bill aims to restore New Zealand citizenship for those born in Samoa between May 13, 1924 and January 1, 1949, whose citizenship was revoked by the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982.
According to Labour's Pacific peoples spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni, this significant win is a result of the strong advocacy from Samoan communities. The party has supported the bill throughout its passage, with Sepuloni praising Teanau Tuiono for bringing it forward and thanking Samoan and Pacific communities for their efforts.
The law change is seen as a response to the government's formal apology for the dawn raids, and Labour is committed to serving the best interests of Pacific communities. With this development, thousands of Samoans will now be able to apply to have their New Zealand citizenship restored, bringing an end to a 40-year wait.