13 August 2004

Govt dodges key Samoan immigration issue

Green MP Keith Locke says the Government has dodged the key immigration issues in its response to the petition to Parliament on the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982.

The Government's reply to the report of the Government Administration Committee, of which Mr Locke is a member, was tabled in Parliament today.

"Mr Goff entirely ignores the major concern of the petitioners - that Samoans should be able to visit and reside in New Zealand more easily," said Mr Locke, the Green Party's Human Rights Spokesperson.

"Just tinkering to make sure the current Samoan quota is filled is simply not enough.

"Shouldn't we be more open to Samoan visitors and migrants? Do we really have a 'special relationship' with Samoa when 43 other nations have visa-free entry to New Zealand and Samoa doesn't?

"The Samoan contribution to New Zealand society and national identity can be seen in the recent appointment of Tana Umaga as All Black captain and in Beatrice Faumuina carrying our flag at tomorrow's Olympic opening ceremony.

"For Helen Clark, in Samoa for the Pacific Forum, to reject visa-free entry is a slap in the face. The Prime Minister blamed the Samoan over-stayer 'problem'. However she should ask herself whether the restrictions on Samoan people coming here are largely to blame. If Australians faced the same hurdles when trying to enter or stay in New Zealand there would be an Australian over-stayer problem too.

"If our Government is to really 'revisit, review and renew' the 1962 Treaty of Friendship, as the committee proposed, it must enter substantive discussion with Samoa on migration issues. Such talks must consider the major Samoan demand, for visa-free entry to New Zealand," said Mr Locke.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>