Te Pāti Māori is today announcing that Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer will be travelling to Samoa to celebrate the 60th independence of Samoa and the anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship between Samoa and Aotearoa.

She will join a parliamentary and community delegation with the Prime Minister, political parties, and Māori and Pasifika leaders, departing on the morning of Monday 1st August and returning in the evening of Tuesday 2nd August.

“I’m thrilled to be able to join with our tuakana in Samoa to celebrate their mana motuhake and 60 years of independence from colonial government,” said Ngarewa-Packer.

“As tangata whenua and tangata moana, we share both ancient and new whakapapa ties that connect as people of Te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa. Our relationships are deep and rich. Four of my own mokopuna are Samoan.

“The Crown must be accountable to its relationship with Samoa and ensure that it is acting in good faith and with true whanaungatanga at all times. It should always uphold our role as a nation of the South Pacific, and support those in our region, while working to provide redress for its colonialism in the Pacific.

“Just recently at the UN Oceans Conference I saw the power we can wield as Pacific whanaunga on the world stage if we work together to fight for our people, our moana, our whenua.

“The years to come will see even greater need for this whanaungatanga and cooperation as we deal with climate change, pandemics and rising poverty. It gives me great hope seeing future generations and how they are forcing our government’s accountability to Pacific,” said Ngarewa-Packer.

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