PRESS RELEASE: NZNCC and New Zealand First Party Spokesperson and Parliamentary Select Committee Member Hold Bilateral Talks

PRESS RELEASE: NZNCC and New Zealand First Party Spokesperson and Parliamentary Select Committee Member Hold Bilateral Talks 26 October 2026, Auckland New Zealand Nepal Chamber of Commerce President, Raj Maharjan, and held a bilateral talk with Dr David Wilson of New Zealand First, one of the political parties in the current New Zealand Government, on issues concerned with small businesses, immigration and foreign relations. On a query about New Zealand First’s small business policies, Dr Wilson noted that his party has proposed a policy of reducing Companies tax for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to 20% from the current rate of 28%. He further said that NZ First intends to simplify access to credit for SMEs. According to Dr Wilson, New Zealand First’s immigration policy is based on a phrase frequently quoted by the Party’s leader Winston Peters, ‘We should bring people here who we need, not who need us’. It is learned that the Party has a policy to ‘scrap the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and replace it with a "shortage-led" Skilled Work Visa tied to a specific region, occupation, and demonstrated labor shortage rather than employer accreditation.’ Similarly, the party has proposed to extend qualifying periods for pathway to Citizenship and Residency. It has proposed to double the qualifying period for permanent residency to 5 years (up from 2) and double the citizenship qualifying period to 10 years (up from 5). On foreign policy, the Party’s key policies involve the following: a) National-Interest Test: Proposes a binding national-interest test to ensure New Zealand is not dictated to or bound by decisions made by the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), or other international bodies. b) Defense of Foreign Aid and MFAT: Party leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters strongly opposes external cuts to New Zealand’s foreign aid budgets and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), arguing that maintaining regional diplomatic and economic presence is vital for doubling the economy. c) Immigration & Visa Caps: Links international migration and visa settings strictly to domestic infrastructure readiness and social cohesion rather than open-ended global labor markets. Dr. David Wilson is a Member of Parliament representing New Zealand First. He is the party spokesperson for Small Business; ACC; Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Statistics; Auckland; Science and Innovation; Digital; and Associate roles in Economic Development, Infrastructure, Research/Development, State-Owned Enterprises, Regional Development, and Finance. Dr Wilson is also a Select Committee member of the New Zealand Parliament’s Economic Development, Science and Innovation and Finance and Expenditure committees. He is the candidate for Henderson electorate in the upcoming election being held on 7th November 2026. Note: References to some of the policies have been researched from the internet.