Kōrero: Samoans

In 1982 Parliament rushed through a law granting New Zealand citizenship to Samoan-born citizens then resident in New Zealand. This was in response to a Privy Council ruling that had given citizenship to all Samoans born between 1924 and 1948 and their descendants. The 1982 act remains a concern for Samoans resident in New Zealand who desire freedom of movement between the two countries. In March 2003 a petition with 90,000 signatures calling for the law’s repeal was presented to Parliament. About 2,000 Samoans protested with speeches, dancing and singing.