Oldest Sitting MP Tea Toala Peato appointed to Cabinet

Apia, SAMOA – 18 August 2026 – Parliaments oldest sitting MP, Tea Toala Peato has been appointed Minister of the Legislative Assembly and the office of the Ombudsman.

At 86 years old, Tea was sworn in by the Head of State, Tuimalealiifano Vaaleto’a 11 at the start of parliament sitting this morning.

Tea’s appointment honours a political career that spans 40 years when he first entered parliament in 1982 and after losing his seat twice in 1988 and 2011, he made a comeback as the oldest MP to be elected in the first FAST government in 2021and the 2025 general election.

While he was appointed then as Associate Minister of Health under the FAST first Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, he was sacked along with 20 other MPs who finally pushed for Fiame’s expulsion in a party leadership crisis that forced early elections when Fiame’s government’s budget was rejected in parliament in May 2025.

Tea is among the 18 of the 20 MPs who challenged Fiame’s leadership who were re-elected in the August 2025 general elections. But the last to have been elevated to a Cabinet position until this morning.

Speaking after Tea’s swearing in this morning, Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt honoured Tea’s political service saying, “no service goes without being acknowledged.”

Tea’s appointment is part of a Cabinet reshuffle when Deputy Prime Minister, Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo lost his seat in an election petition this year.

The Prime Minister also announced the confirmation of the appointment of the Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molioo as Deputy Prime Minister.

Also sworn in by the Head of State this morning, was the new Auditor General who will old the position for a term of six years.

When parliament resumed, the Speaker swore in the Safata 2 MP, Tuia Pua Letoa who was re-elected in a by election last month when he resigned from the Opposition HRPP to join the ruling government.