Samoan-New Zealand activist Anae Arthur Anae hopes to garner support to petition the New Zealand parliament for visa-free travel for up to three months for Pacific island nations.

Anae is in Samoa and is requesting Samoans to sign a petition which will be presented to the New Zealand Parliament. 

"The New Zealand Immigration's racism has to be stopped and this is how we have to put an end to this is to sign this petition," Anae said.

"Samoa is one of New Zealand's neighbouring countries and yet we are not included in their visa waiver countries list." 

The only exception is Aotearoa's realm countries such as Niue, Tokelau, and Cook Islands are considered NZ citizens and free to live and work in the country.

Anae said this has to stop and this petition means a lot for him to fight this issue in parliament.

Anae said the petition has to reach a million Pacific people and if the the petition does not meet the number, he will continue with the number of people who will sign the petition.

Anae added that the deadline for this petition is 5 May 2025.

Up to 10,000 Samoans around the world have already signed this petition online and Anae said there is a need to push for more Samoans to understand and sign this petition.

The online petition form is on the New Zealand Parliament website where a person has to type Anae Arthur Anae's name and the form will appear for anyone to fill and sign.

At the moment, 60 countries around the world are on the NZ visa waiver list and none of the Pacific island nations are included.

Anae believes that the population of New Zealand should be 50-50 which means 50 per cent should consist of New Zealand citizens and the other 50 per cent should be of people from the Pacific Island countries and others just like in the New Zealand Parliament.

"New Zealand has been doing this to us for a long time, making it difficult for our people to apply for emergency and visitor visas and it has to stop," Anae said.

If time permits, Anae is looking at reaching out to the village mayors, women's committees in the villages and churches before he goes back.

"I believe this mission will be accomplished if we stand together as Pacific islanders and stop this discrimination against us, this petition is the only answer to it," he added.

The Visa Waiver Programme(opens in a new window) permits citizens of some countries to enter New Zealand for business and tourism purposes for up to three months without a visa. British citizens can stay up to six months.

Anae was part of the movement that helped get support for the NZ Citizenship Bill. He was also a member of parliament in New Zealand and the first Pasifika MP for the National Party.