Five New Zealand parliamentarians had the chance to get out of the election buildup briefly and visit Samoa. It wasn’t a holiday though.
The job of maintaining external relationships, especially those in the Pacific Islands, continues regardless of whether it’s election campaign time in Aotearoa.
The MPs visit to Apia was led by Parliament's Speaker Adrian Rurawhe and included meetings with Samoan MPs and representatives from local business and trade groups.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Samoa's Speaker of Parliament, Papaliʻi Liʻo Oloipola Taeu Masipau, at an 'ava ceremony to formally welcome the New Zealand delegation, which included Labour's Lemauga Lydia Sosene and Tangi Utikere, Todd Muller of National, and Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
The five New Zealand MPs were given 'ava to drink, in a ceremony that involves tact and skill.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
New Zealand MPs (left to right: Rurawhe, Sosene and Tuiono) wait to receive 'ava. Following the ceremony, the MPs had meetings with their Samoan counterparts. "These types of opportunities grow your own skillset," Sosene explained.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Bay of Plenty MP Muller tips a little 'ava on the custom mat as a sign of respect to the local community, during the 'ava ceremony. To his left is Palmerston North MP Utikere and to his right, New Zealand's High Commissioner in Samoa, Trevor Matheson.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Rurawhe responds to the welcome for his delegation. He said it was important to have ongoing relations that are parliament to parliament, and not just government to government.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
The New Zealand MPs were shown around Samoa's Parliamentary debating chamber. It had significantly more natural light than the chamber back in Wellington.
Photo: Johnny Blades
Samoa's Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Auapaau Mulipola Aloitafua (centre left) and New Zealand's Speaker Rurawhe (centre right) co-chair a meeting to discuss the functions and operations of select committees.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Following the first change in government for 40 years in Samoa two years ago, Aloitafua said the current Parliament had lots of new MPs and that meeting the New Zealand MPs was a golden opportunity to share notes.
Photo: Johnny Blades
Sosene said visiting Samoa gave MPs the chance to examine whether New Zealand's programs involving Samoa were working for mutual benefit.
Photo: Johnny Blades
Tuiono said the trip offered wider context for an MP: "When we step away from Aotearoa New Zealand and visit other places... we have the interests of our whenua at heart but also the interests of those special relationships with the Pacific. And my feeling is that everybody got that, which is a good thing."
Photo: Johnny Blades
Samoan MP Niuava Eti Malolo, chairperson of the Economic Sector select committee
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Utikere said it was not appropriate for New Zealanders to tell Samoans how to do things.
"What is appropriate is that we come here and have a conversation as fellow parliamentarians, and they take from that what they want or what they need, just like we will take from the conversations what we think is important as well," Utikere said.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Ale Vena Ale, who was with Samoa’s former ruling HRPP party, recently quit to become independent, before finding himself in a legal tangle as the court decided Ale had vacated his seat. He asked Rurawhe how New Zealand's Parliament dealt with such situations.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Samoa's Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa (seated centre) met the New Zealand MPs. Muller said he was impressed with her openness to questions.
"She was very clear-minded and forthright in response. And you just get so much out of it when you can spend time talking to, in this case the prime minister, that directly," Muller said.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
The 'ava (known as kava in other parts of the Pacific) was prepared according to chiefly customs. Once preparation was complete, the fibred clump used to prepare the drink was thrown over the shoulder and caught.
Photo: Johnny Blades / VNP
Rurawhe espoused the merits of meeting business and other leaders in Samoa, given that decisions made in New Zealand impacted on the livelihoods of Samoans.
"We get to learn about the issues that, say, a farmer in Samoa might have in producing their product and then getting it to market in New Zealand. We get a strong appreciation of what their needs are, what are the barriers they're facing," Rurawhe said.
