Samoan PM says Christopher Luxon didn't ask for title

Samoa’s Prime Minister has taken back comments he made suggesting New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon asked for a matai title during his visit to the Pacific nation.

In a statement released on Monday morning, the Samoan Government said it had always planned to bestow the chiefly title Tui‑Sinave‑ma‑Ulumotootua on Luxon during a ceremony outside the main Government building in Apia.

Prime Minister La'aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt confirmed neither Luxon nor any of his representatives had requested the honour.

"The Hon Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa would like to confirm that neither the New Zealand Prime Minister nor any of his representatives requested that a matai title be bestowed on Christopher Luxon during his visit to Samoa," the statement said.

Luxon’s office denied the claim at the time, calling it incorrect.

"While the bestowal of an honorary title is a great honour for New Zealand and a mark of our strong relationship with Samoa, it is not something that was requested by the Prime Minister," a spokesperson said at the weekend.

In its statement, the Samoan Government emphasised that offering a matai title to visiting leaders was a long‑standing cultural courtesy.

"A title bestowal for visiting leaders is a traditional courtesy extended by the Government of Samoa," it said.

"It was always the Government’s intention to extend this honour to Prime Minister Luxon."

The Government also addressed comments made during the same interview in which Laaulialemalietoa suggested that, as a matai, Luxon would be obliged to support visa‑free travel for Pacific people to New Zealand.

More on this topic

PM Luxon's office denies he asked for a Samoan matai title

Samoa’s Prime Minister claimed in a recent interview Luxon himself had asked for the title, and the request came via New Zealand’s High Commissioner.

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"Furthermore, the Hon La’aulialemalietoa confirms that it was never intended that the bestowal of a matai title would place an obligation on Prime Minister Luxon with respect to New Zealand Government decisions, including immigration policy," the statement said.