La'aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt is a contender to become prime minister. Photo: ABC News / Gabriella Marchant
A Samoan journalist says the country's prime minister's decision to temporarily ban Samoa Observer reporters from government press conferences was "premature".
Regional media associations have weighed in on the issue urging Prime Minister La'aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt to reverse the ban.
La'aulialemalietoa said the Observer had been unfair and inaccurate in its reporting on him, particularly during his health stay in New Zealand.
"While I strongly support the principles of the public's right to information and freedom of the media, it is important that reporting adheres to ethical standards and responsible journalism practices, given the significant role and influence media plays in informing our community," he said.
Galumalemana Tipi Autagavaia, who is also an executive member of the Journalists' Association of Samoa known as JAWS, said the announcement of the ban came as a shock.
On Wednesday, JAWS issued a statement calling on the prime minister to lift the ban - and also calling on journalists to do their work according to the code of practice, and observe the code of ethics.
"And also read [the Code of Ethics] thoroughly because the guideline for us in the way we do our work is there. But we stand for any other media outlet in a democratic country; we stand strong for freedom of the press, freedom of expression."
He told Pacific Waves there is an existing complaints process in place.
"If there are concerns raised because of some of the reports and the way the journalists of the daily paper handled their approach to meet the prime minister last Saturday to confirm his return to Samoa, there is a procedure put in place in the Samoa Media Act to file a complaint.
"I think that's the process I think should be followed before any such decision of a ban is reached."
Galumalemana said assumptions can often be made about journalists' political leanings.
"Even in myself, if I report maybe two or three stories in a week or in a bulletin or from the HRPP [Human Rights Protection Party] the social media people will [say] 'oh, he's pro HRPP'. And if I report a lot of stories from FAST [Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi] - 'oh, he's a pro-FAST reporter'.
"This is our work, daily work. We report what comes out of whatever political party. We don't take sides in any political party."
Meanwhile, former Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa's Samoa Uniting Party (SUP) has weighed in, saying the new government has struck at the heart of media freedom.
Fiame called the move a clear attempt to silence scrutiny.
She said leadership requires openness, accountability, and the ability to face criticism without fear or restriction.
