‘I said no’ – Samoan PM told Luxon treaty refresh must wait until new NZ govt elected

Samoa’s Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Schmidt paused talks on a refreshed treaty with New Zealand until after the New Zealand general election, despite Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s request to “proceed with it”.

La’auli made the revelation at a cocktail function supporting the “visa on arrival” campaign led by prominent Aotearoa community leader Anae Arthur Anae in Apia last week, according to a report by the Samoa Observer.

According to the Samoa Observer, Anae was in Samoa seeking signatures for changes to New Zealand’s immigration arrangements for Samoans. He has become a leading campaigner for immigration reform for Pacific Islanders.

• READ MORE: Other Samoa politics reports

“Regarding the Treaty of Friendship that was being prepared, Luxon wanted me to go ahead and proceed with it, but I said no,” La’auli was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

“I told him to wait until the [NZ] election is fully concluded and to see who the new Prime Minister is; only then will I have a ‘fair’ go at whoever will be newly elected.”

The Treaty of Friendship between Samoa and New Zealand is the principal bilateral agreement between the two nations. It is a unique partnership, signed in August 1962 after Samoa gained independence from New Zealand.

The newspaper reported that the Samoan prime minister said he was preparing proposals to “refresh and refine” Samoa’s relationship with New Zealand under the treaty.

“I am currently putting together Samoa’s perspective on how we might refresh and refine our relationship with New Zealand,” he said.

Luxon visited Samoa in March this year, where he met with La’auli and was also bestowed with the matai (chiefly) title of Tuisinavemaulumoto’otua from the village of Apia. During the visit, he signed memorandums of understanding for police and customs cooperation to combat transnational crime.

RNZ Pacific has contacted the Prime Minister’s office for comment.