New Zealand does not have a great track record in its relationship with Samoa:

• The influenza epidemic killed over 22% of Samoa's population in 1918, a disease that was introduced to Samoa by sick passengers on board a ship from New Zealand. Survivors blamed the New Zealand Administrator, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Logan, for failing to quarantine the ship and for rejecting an offer of medical assistance from American Samoa.
• Dec 28, 2018, New Zealand military police fired on Mau independence demonstrators in Apia, killing 11 Samoans, including the independence leader Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III.
• In the 197os with the economy in recession and unemployment rising, the spotlight was turned on Pasifika ‘overstayers' - immigrants whose temporary visas had expired. Accused of overloading the welfare system, some were detained and deported. Dawn raids on the homes of alleged overstayers by police began in 1974 and intensified in October 1976.

In 2002 the then prime minister of New Zealand apologised to the Samoan people for "events in our past which have been little known in New Zealand, although they are well known in Samoa."

But it seems "... there's one thing about New Zealand you can't get away from. And that's the racism that never totally went away, that hits you when you're not expecting it," says Christine Ammunson, writing for the Spinoff,

She says she thought that "being brown is cool now".

"So when I saw a cartoon that turned the death of our Samoan babies into a joke I was for once lost for words".

"I know that Tremain would never have made a cartoon joking about the precious souls lost in the Pike River tragedy".

"And even if he did, the Otago Daily Times (ODT) would never have published it.

And that's because Tremain and the management at the ODT saw that tragedy through human eyes, and with empathy."

Ammunson says she is glad the ODTs has apologised for the cartoon.

But I will always wonder: if so many of us hadn't roared in rage at the ODT's heartlessness at this, one of Samoa's darkest times - would they have apologised?

She is dismayed at Tremain's attempt to brush it off.

Source

• nzhistory.govt.nz
• nzhistory.govt.nz
• nzhistory.govt.nz
• thespinoff.co.nz
• Image: bbc.com

The Mangere electorate MP, who won his seat for the fourth time with another massive majority, is now the Minister for Pacific People and Associate Minister for Courts and of Justice.

"Never in my dreams did I imagine I would have this opportunity when I was sworn in as a new minister for this Labour-led Government," he says.

He says his audience with the Pope, along with other ministers from governments around the Pacific was personally quite significant given his own upbringing.

"The meeting had been organised by the South Pacific Forum who were seeking His Holiness' blessing before Forum members travelled to Bonn Germany for the Climate Change COP23 meetings," Sio says. "As Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was busy with trade and APEC meetings, it fell on myself and Minister James Shaw to represent New Zealand.

"It was a particularly poignant and heartfelt experience given my father is such a faithful Catholic who raised all of us in the Catholic religion."

Pope Francis affirmed his desire to see world leaders combat climate change. Sio was one of New Zealand's representatives at the South Pacific Forum, along with Minister for Climate Change James Shaw.

Source

• Stuff
• Image: Stuff

The meeting, with Pacific church leaders at the Samoan Independent Seventh Day Adventist Church in Mangere, was also a platform to promote National's candidate for Mangere, Misa Fia Turner.

Key says there had been a shift in support in the Labour stronghold of South Auckland.

"I can't think of a time when I've been the leader of the National Party when we would have had so many people in Mangere turn up for a National Party meeting."

"I think it just sends a very strong message that there are changes afoot in voting patterns for Pacific New Zealanders." Key said.

Key concedes National is still the Pacific underdog, but believes come September they will secure more votes from south Auckland than ever before

Gay marriage is considered to be one of the main reasons for the change.

"The values, that's important to us because that's really against our moral values ," says Misa-Fia Turner.

National's Pacific Island Affairs Minister and Maungakiekie MP Sam Lotu-Iiga admitted that unseating incumbent Mangere MP, Labour's Su'a William Sio, would be a tough ask.

I wouldn't get overly optimistic about it," Lotu-Iiga said.

Labour leader David Cunliffe insists he is still living the Pacific dream.

"We have had a wonderful day here in Manurewa," he says.

He says the turnout at his meeting in south Auckland last night proves that.
"It's great. We are having an amazing turn out, record numbers."

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• 3News
• Image: 3News

Some commentators are saying this will be a litmus test for Labour support.

South Auckland electorates are traditionally Labour thanks in large part to church-going Pacific Islanders.

The meeting is a response to small group of influential Pacific Island clergy declaring, at the Manurewa flea market, last Sunday that they would switch their support from the Labour Party to the National Party.

The ministers involved have come under fire on Pacific Island social media. They have been criticised for not consulting their parishes.

A Seventh Day Adventist minister, Teleiai Edwin Puni, said he and five other Seventh Day Adventist ministers - all recognised in the Pacific community - met National MP Cam Calder on Sunday.

"If we are to defend our Christian values and build a brighter future for New Zealand families, we need to engage our Pacific people and vote National," Puni said.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• TV3 News
• Image: tavpacificauckland.weebly.com