Analysis: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will be feeling he’s dodged a bullet in Samoa but it came close enough for him to feel the shifting of air as it shot past.
On the eve of his departure to the island nation, Luxon's Samoan counterpart Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao Leuatea Fosi Schmidt claimed in a livestreamed interview with Talamua Media that the New Zealand Prime Minister had asked for a chiefly title. The New Zealand Government categorically denied it. Then just hours before the ava ceremony, Laaulialemalietoa did an abrupt about turn and issued a statement saying Luxon had not requested a title and nor had any of his representatives. The ava ceremony then went ahead outside the Government building and the relationship between the two Prime Ministers was cordial, the right things were said.
Until the state dinner on Monday night. As well as the New Zealand official delegation members there were top Samoan officials, politicians and La’aulialemalietoa.
He gave a speech first in Samoan and then one in English. But they differed enough to bring the Samoan audience to silence. What Luxon heard was to ignore the negative social media posts over his title. What La’aulialemaliatoa said in Samoan was to spill some of the details of what went on behind the scenes.
He said that at 3am, he got a call from Ministry of Foreign Affairs head Peseta Noumea Simi advising him that the bestowal would not go ahead. When he asked why, he said he was told there were too many issues on social media and Luxon didn’t want to proceed. La’aulialemaliatoa went on to tell his captive audience, in Samoan, that rugby great Savae Sir La’auli Michael Jones became the intermediary. 1News understands he helped soothe the waters and the Samoan PM made it clear Luxon had not requested a title.
The threat not to turn up to his own chiefly title, which would have embarrassed the Samoan government, clearly paid off for Luxon but it would have been extremely difficult to accept a matai title under these circumstances. It hasn’t helped that two of the family lines in Apia village which has bestowed the title on Luxon say they weren’t consulted and are furious about their family name being used as part of the title. The majority of Apia village though say it is a great honour to have the Prime Minister as part of their fold.
Despite all the noise some good gains were made. A political relationship was established – fractious to start with but it ended up warmly enough on the surface at least. It’s clear Samoa is keen to keep the pressure on New Zealand on immigration and the potential of visa-free travel for visitors. New Zealand is putting in $10 million for new grassroots sports development support. New Zealand and the Samoan police have signed a valuable memorandum of arrangement which involves information sharing, secondment and exchange of personnel, and coordinating of operations – the sort of agreement that would send chills up many a spine if it was signed with China.
There is some thorny issues ahead but Luxon can walk away relieved he came out unscathed, albeit a little bruised, not unlike the rugby league match between Tipene (St Stephens College) of Auckland and Samoa’s Wesley College – Luxon’s last engagement in Samoa. Both Prime Ministers were on hand to watch – New Zealand won and Samoa was gracious in defeat – already preparing in their heads to take the next game.
As Laaulialemalietoa said, “we are no longer friends, we are family”. If only the head of the family wasn’t so unpredictable.
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