Darroch Ball

Chief of Staff NZFirst

[New Zealand First @nzfirst]

They thought any help to you was a slush fund.

[New Zealand First @nzfirst]

New Zealand was once the greatest country on earth and it can be again, and that's worth fighting for.

[New Zealand First @nzfirst]

NZ First will not support the progression of the Gene Tech Bill

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

Another great turn out today at our public meeting in Hastings. Packed hall running out of seats with people standing in the foyer - over 600 today.

Very positive and responsive crowd with great feedback and support.

See you in Warkworth next week!

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

Why NZFirst is against the Indian FTA:

1. Unprecedented immigration settings including uncapped student numbers with working rights and 5000 visa holders entering NZ who can bring in families which increases that number to 20,000+ at any one time. This is in addition to other uncapped immigration work visa pathways within the agreement.

2. The UN co-governance framework UNDRIP is in the agreement. This is the provision that created He Puapua and co-governance being embedded in our country.

3. The Paris Agreement which forces unmeetable and pointless emission reduction targets onto our country is in the agreement, which costs our farmers, economy, and our country - with up to $22 billion being sent overseas.

4. New Zealand must promote $33 billion of investment into India over just the next 15 years, otherwise India will claw back the agreement. Billions of dollars we can’t afford into a foreign country when we are desperate for investment here in New Zealand.

National, Act, and Labour have agreed to this Indian FTA for short term headline gains with fundamental and substantial long term flaws.

They are even now just realising NZFirst was right about the immigration numbers and they are now trying to change the default immigration rules - but why just for India? Why not now put immigration restrictions in across all FTA partners and immigration…

Only NZFirst is fighting against this FTA, and the only party fighting for New Zealand and New Zealanders future.

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

The issue surrounding the India FTA is not a game.

It has become clear now that NZFirst was right about the FTA creating unprecedented immigration settings. We stated that this FTA gives too much away on immigration.

We said that the “5000 work visa holders” was never the case. It was always going to mean “20,000+ more immigrants” as default immigration settings enable them to bring in families. That’s not even including the guaranteed work rights for the uncapped students. That means it will be even harder for kiwis finding jobs.

Kiwis are clearly concerned about these immigration settings in this FTA and is why ministers are now wanting to change and restrict how default immigration settings apply in the FTA with India.

They know kiwis are opposed to this part of the deal. But only NZFirst has led the opposition to it.

Our stance has always been that there should be no immigration as part of any FTA. That remains the case. And in fact there should be more restrictions on New Zealand’s immigration settings to ensure we put kiwis first.

[New Zealand First @nzfirst]

2pm, Sunday, 28 June. See you there!

https://t.co/RoJD4PKwUq

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

Serious questions need answering on NZ-India FTA

For six months, we have been warning that the India-New Zealand FTA would, under current policy settings, mean open slather immigration from India to New Zealand.

We have recently discovered that there has been an abrupt change of course – with changes being made to immigration settings which target Indians and Indians alone.

Officials have warned Ministers that these changes could have impacts on our bilateral relationship with India and our reputation as a place to do business, and be open to legal challenge or retaliation from India. We have also seen evidence of officials discussing the importance of these changes not being publicly announced for fear of the Indian reaction.

This discriminatory treatment, approved by the Minister of Immigration, includes:

- imposing on Indian citizens a labour market/economic needs test that doesn’t apply to citizens of other relevant FTA partners;
- precluding Indian citizens from applying for a temporary employment entry visa from within New Zealand, an option available to citizens of other relevant FTA partners;
- treating Indian citizens worse than the citizens of other relevant FTA partners when it comes to their partners and children; and
- precluding Indian citizens from counting work experience on a temporary employment entry visa towards residency requirements, a right extended to citizens of other relevant FTA partners.

The Indian Government has the right to know about National’s intention to treat Indian citizens in a discriminatory manner relative to citizens of other FTA partners, such as China, Thailand, or South Korea.

New Zealand First would have preferred that the India FTA not include any migration concessions whatsoever. But if the Government has negotiated such commitments it is only fitting and proper that it be transparent with India about how it intends to apply them – and in what respects it intends to treat Indians worse than Chinese, Thais, Koreans and nationals from other New Zealand FTA partners.

We suggest that if additional restrictions are applied to Indians travelling to New Zealand under this FTA, the only consistent and principled step would be to apply these restrictions to citizens of all FTA partners. This, sadly, is palpably not the approach being contemplated by our coalition partners and Labour – and they need to explain why.

These issues will be important to both the Indian Government and to New Zealand’s Indian community, who will be concerned to ensure that Indians receive equitable treatment to people of other nationalities. Labour is now complicit in National’s plan to treat Indians inequitably. But it is not too late for Labour to change course and oppose this shoddy FTA.

We urge the Prime Minister, the Trade Minister and the Immigration Minister to make clear to India, before the FTA legislation is passed into law, about the ways in which they intend to implement this FTA differently from our previous relevant FTAs.

We look forward to the Prime Minister, Trade Minister and Immigration Minister clarifying these matters publicly with urgency, so as to avoid any potential trade retaliation, legal action, or reputational damage.

There must be equitable treatment for citizens of all countries coming into New Zealand under our various FTAs. Discriminatory treatment is not the New Zealand way.

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

We know the Maori Party have a backward view on our country but this is getting a bit ridiculous…

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

Obviously Mike Hosking needs some facts on the Health and Safety legislation before naively commenting.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that NZFirst has issues with this bill. We had an initial meeting with the minister a month ago where specific issues were discussed.

It was made clear in the First Reading of the bill that NZFirst had concerns and we would wait for the select committee report to form a view.

NZFirst does not have an MP that sits on the select committee so we waited for the select committee report to be tabled - this was only last week.

This week the minister was informed that we had continuing concerns and wanted to meet and discuss possible amendments and a way forward in a constructive manner for the legislation – which the minister refused to do.

To say this communication is "last minute" and this is “just games” on such an important issue is as ill-informed as it is naïve.

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

So now the Maori Party are actively telling Maori voters not to give “The Maori Party” the party vote - after just starting a campaign to get more people on the Maori roll.

They keep up this pretence of the Maori roll, Maori seats, and Maori vote as being essential to the representation of Maori, yet they are wanting now to use Maori voters as a pawn to undermine democracy.

It just highlights what a hypocritical disgrace they are to democracy and to Maoridom.

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

We are very disappointed for Pacific rugby and for the many fans who have supported Moana Pasifika that New Zealand Rugby has chosen to announce today that the team will not be participating in the 2027 Super Rugby competition.

Today's announcement will be felt strongly by players, their families and supporters. It will also be disappointing to many people in the Pacific who have got in behind the team.

Less than a month ago, we were approached by a number of parties and rugby lovers seeking our support to put Moana Pasifika on a financially sustainable footing. It would have been helpful if Moana Pasifika had come to us earlier about their financial situation.

Achieving a result in three weeks to facilitate Moana Pasifika being part of the 2027 season was always going to be a bridge too far. We had hoped NZ Rugby would grant us more time, but they decided they had to move ahead announcing today that the team will not be part of Super Rugby next year.

[New Zealand First @nzfirst]

New Zealand First will create a KiwiSaver Generation.

[New Zealand First @nzfirst]

Winston Peters: Experience has never mattered more.

[New Zealand First @nzfirst]

Winston Peters: We're all equal

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

Funny. We thought National was tough on crime - they just blatantly stole NZFirst’s policies of compulsory KiwiSaver, increased contributions, and automatic enrolment at birth with a government top up - which we announced in May and called ‘KiwiSaver Generation’.

It must be slightly embarrassing for them to criticise us then have to steal our policies for an announcement.

We realise the only great policy announcements are coming from NZFirst but at least admit they’re ours before you announce them…

But don’t worry. It’s better late than never to catch up.

[Winston Peters @winstonpeters]

It is ironic how a party who enjoys being in government under the blanket of support we provide, then turns around and complains about the manner in which we provide it.

NZFirst stands by values of nationalism, conservatism, patriotism and commonsense. They use them as some sort of punchline.

It’s comical that the only government party working with Labour right now is the National Party. They are working with Labour to get the Indian FTA over the line, working with Labour to pass the Digital ID social media ban, and working together with Labour on passing the Gene Tech bill.

As the saying goes, there’s not much difference between Pepsi and Coke.

But we understand why National is saying what they are. Pressure will make you say dumb things. There is no more ‘capital N’.

National should know that saying irrational and dumb things will be highly concerning for voters who are wanting stability, experience, and unity.

National doesn’t need to worry about NZFirst. National needs to worry about National.