There’s been a lot confusion as to why Pacific people have traditionally voted for Labour. Despite the “that’s the way we’ve always voted” notion, Samoa’s affinity with Labour is deeply rooted in our shared history PRIOR TO the first wave of Samoan immigration to NZ in the 50’s..

When Mau Movement leader Olaf Nelson was exiled to NZ, he petitioned the New Zealand government and was supported by the New Zealand Labour Party.

When @nzlabour came into power in 1935, the ban on the Mau was lifted, Nelson was returned home and a goodwill mission by the Labour Govt was sent to Samoa. This was the first important step taken by NZ on Samoa’s road to independence.

By the 50s, the Labour Party was well-entrenched in the minds of many Samoans who were among first wave of Pacific migrants to NZ.

Fast forward to 1994 and under Labour Prime Minister David Lange, NZ was declared a nuclear-free zone, a move applauded by the entire Pacific which at the time was the site of nuclear testing for YEARS.

Also, let’s not forget the Dawn raids during the Muldoon era. Started by Kirk but boy did the Nats go to town with it beginning in 1975. Condemned by the South Pacific Forum and even Labour under Lange. Huge stain on National and NZ’s history and not so easily forgotten.

Of course that doesn’t mean Labour owns the Pacific vote (as seen during the Bolger years) but the difference is that Labour have invested years into this relationship and their policies have benefitted Pacific peoples for much longer. Bolger is the one anomaly in National...

He spent years building relationships within the region and although ideologically opposed in many respects, Dad agreed to manage his Pacific campaign in the 90s. The strength of that relationship resulted in a landslide for National, winning the Pacific vote for the first time.

Our shared history with Labour and the Bolger years are good lessons for today’s National Party - esp. the islanders coming through campaigning for them: the Pacific vote isn’t won by Trump-style conspiracy theories. Campaigning relies on building relationships across the divide.

There’s a lesson on strategy here that requires pragmatism over ideology and on a cultural competency that extends beyond “Talofa” but that’s for another time. For now, it’s best to rethink the simplistic notions re: the Pacific vote. There’s far more nuance to it than that.