Pacific advocates say New Zealand’s visa system continues to place unfair barriers on their families, especially during emergencies, and are now asking MPs to confront the issue directly.
A petition, led by former National MP Anae Arthur Anae, calls for nationals from Fiji, Sāmoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu to be granted a visitor visa on arrival in Aotearoa.
It has attracted almost 50,000 signatures and will be handed to New Zealand First leader Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters on the steps of Parliament.
Supporters from Pacific communities in Auckland and Wellington are expected to travel to Parliament to mark what Anae has described as a historic moment.
In an interview on Pacific Mornings, Anae, the National Party’s first Pacific MP, said Pasifika had raised concerns about visa access for many years, but believed the level of public support shown by the petition could help move the issue forward.
He said Peters had consistently supported Pacific causes. “One thing I will say about this is Winston has stood behind us all the way and everything we’ve tried to do for the Pacific people.
“David Seymour and ACT seem to be extreme right, but when it comes to things that are wrong and incorrect, David will stand behind it. I know that and I trust him in that area.
“Let’s not forget that with the Sāmoan citizenship, ACT stood up and supported us to go to the Second Reading and that’s where David stands and will always stand and I admire his guts and his tenacity and what he does at times but Winston’s our man.”
Currently, citizens from over 60 countries can visit Aotearoa for short stays using a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).
Most Pacific Island nations are excluded, meaning travellers must apply for a visitor visa in advance, often facing high costs and lengthy processing times.
Recent changes allow citizens of a Pacific Islands Forum country travelling from Australia with an eligible Australian visa to apply for an NZeTA.
Campaigners argue this still leaves many Pacific families at a disadvantage.
Peters said on Pacific Mornings that Pacific nationals face unfair barriers when travelling to New Zealand, particularly when time is critical.
“The cost of the visa and the delays in getting it,” Peters said. “If your grandmother or your mother were to die in New Zealand, you want to be on the next plane and you should be able to get that within 24 hours.”
Peters said any move to ease travel settings would need to go hand in hand with compliance. “We are saying to Pacific countries, we’re going to change the criteria for these visas, but it’s going to be like this. We’re cousins, and cousins don’t rip cousins off. You got that? So, make sure you bear the law.”
Anae hopes that if the petition reaches the House, MPs will be allowed a conscience vote instead of being bound by party lines.
The petition will be presented at 10am next Tuesday on the Parliament forecourt.
For Pacific advocates, the focus is now on whether Parliament will act on an issue they say goes to the heart of New Zealand’s relationship with the region and whether Pacific families will finally be treated on equal terms at the border.
