A realignment of their focus and choosing a warmer season for its local pageantry has led the Miss Samoa Victoria Incorporated Committee not to field a contestant in this year's pageant.

This does not mean that they are out though as Miss Samoa Victoria will be back for next year's Miss Samoa pageant.

In a statement published on their official page last week, Miss Samoa Victoria Committee highlighted that they have decided to shift their focus for the betterment of their platform. 

"At the conclusion of the Samoan National pageant last year, we shifted our organisation's focus to 'reflecting on experiences' and 'learning' from them for the betterment of our platform," the statement reads. 

"This has been a great journey for us as we've since launched our website, held workshops for our committee to implement good governance, and all the while still serving a great community here in Victoria. 

"That said, we as a committee, after careful planning and consultation with our community and elders, have decided to align our state pageant with our community events and warmer season- in turn, this allows for better preparations for future contestants."

Because of this, Miss Samoa Victoria did not register a contestant to vie for this year's Miss Samoa crown as they will be hosting the pageant late in spring which would be sometime in November.

"The winner of our Victoria state pageant this year will then go on to represent our state in next year's Samoa national pageant. 

"We wish Onomea Productions, Samoa Tourism Authority, Miss Samoa, each contestant, and their platforms all the very best."

After the 10 contestants for this year's Miss Samoa Pageant were revealed on Wednesday, it was discovered that the Miss Samoa Melbourne Committee did not have a contestant. 

The Miss Samoa Melbourne committee in Australia sponsored the current holder of the Miss Samoa title, during last year's pageant. There are usually three contestants representing the Samoan community in Australia in the Miss Samoa pageant. 

They are Miss Samoa New South Wales, Miss Samoa Victoria, and Miss Samoa Melbourne. But only Miss Samoa New South Wales is representing the Samoan community in Australia, aside from the contestant sponsored by a Samoan-owned fashion house in Australia, Lavashe Couture. 

Last year, there was also a contestant from the United States, sponsored by the Samoa ua Tasi organisation, made up of Samoans living in the U.S. 

Of the eight contestants who competed for the crown of Miss Samoa last year, only two were local girls. However, for this year's pageant, there are 10 contestants vying for the crown and only three are from overseas (New Zealand and Australia). 

Whoever will be crowned on 9 September 2023 at Gym 1 Tuana'imato will go on to represent Samoa in the regional Miss Pacific Islands pageant.