Parmar calls for better use of migrant skills and less red tape in Webfit News interview

By Webfit News | 9 October 2026 | Election 2026

ACT MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar says New Zealand is losing opportunities when skilled migrants arrive but cannot find work that uses their qualifications and experience.

In an interview with Webfit News, Parmar outlined her party’s approach to immigration, small businesses, education and ethnic representation, while defending ACT’s influence within the coalition government.

The former National MP also explained why she now identifies more closely with ACT, placing its position on equal treatment before the law at the centre of her political outlook.

Her message to migrant families was that attracting people is only part of the task. New Zealand also needs conditions that allow them to contribute.

Immigration: bringing skills here is not enough

Parmar said an immigration system should work fairly for both migrants and New Zealand.

When people arrive with skills that cannot be used, she argued, the consequences extend beyond an individual’s frustration.

“It’s actually our loss as well,” she said.

She told Webfit News that ACT wanted annual reviews of skilled-visa requirements so immigration settings reflected changing demand.

Her argument was that outdated requirements could encourage people to migrate for occupations where opportunities had diminished, creating a mismatch between expectations and available work.

An annual review would be a policy mechanism, not a guarantee of employment. Its effectiveness would depend on accurate labour-market information, clear communication and employers being willing to recognise relevant skills.

Parmar said migrants had choices about where to settle, making their experience in New Zealand important to the country’s international reputation.

Why she moved from National to ACT

Asked what had changed in her political thinking, Parmar pointed to ACT’s position on ethnicity and public policy.

She said her experience as an immigrant and a mother influenced her concern about how future generations would be judged.

Parmar argued that opportunities should depend on merit and capability, while public resources should be allocated according to need and circumstances.

She described ACT as the only parliamentary party campaigning consistently on that approach.

That was her assessment of the political landscape, rather than an agreed description of other parties’ positions. The debate over ethnicity-based initiatives also involves differing views about Treaty obligations and how best to address unequal outcomes.

Retail safety: a policy now reflected in law

Parmar identified protections for sole-charge workers as an example of responding to community concerns.

She recalled visiting a dairy after a worker had been attacked and hospitalised, saying the experience reinforced the need for stronger legal recognition of workers’ vulnerability.

Changes to the Sentencing Act took effect on 29 June 2025, including an aggravating factor covering victims working alone and those working in businesses connected to their homes.

The Ministry of Justice identifies the measure as a commitment from the National–ACT coalition agreement.

An aggravating factor must be considered during sentencing. It does not create a fixed additional punishment for every case.

Parmar also cited reductions in offending. However, the interview did not establish that this particular sentencing change caused those reductions.

Small businesses: less administration, more time to grow

Parmar said compliance requirements could consume money and time that businesses might otherwise use to hire staff, invest in equipment or improve productivity.

She highlighted restored 90-day employment trials and ACT’s proposals on software investment and union-fee collection.

ACT’s published small-business package proposes:

Proposal	What it would mean
Voluntary employer collection of union fees	Remove the requirement for employers to administer those deductions
Updated tax treatment of software	Change how qualifying digital investments can be deducted
Reduced regulatory burdens	Seek to lower compliance costs and simplify business requirements

Parmar said the union-fee proposal grew from a member’s bill she had developed.

These measures should be distinguished from changes already in force. A campaign proposal does not become law simply because a party announces it.

The practical test would be whether changes reduce unnecessary administration without weakening protections that workers and customers rely on.

Education: choice, attendance and university funding

Parmar defended charter schools as an alternative for families and said school attendance was a necessary starting point for learning.

She also argued that taxpayer-funded university assistance should be allocated according to students’ needs and circumstances rather than ethnicity.

Discussing her campaign against compulsory Waipapa Taumata Rau courses at the University of Auckland, she presented the change as a victory for student choice.

The university’s current guidance provides an important qualification: the courses remain compulsory for specified accredited programmes and pathways, while becoming General Education options for most other students.

The courses have therefore not disappeared altogether.

Social media: ACT questions a blanket restriction

Parmar opposed an under-16 social media ban, raising concerns about privacy, age verification and young people bypassing restrictions through VPNs.

She argued that children accessing platforms secretly might become less willing to report harm.

Her involvement in seeking a parliamentary inquiry is documented. However, the committee’s final report recommended progressing age restrictions alongside broader protections, including stronger platform accountability.

That distinction matters: supporting an inquiry did not mean the committee adopted ACT’s preferred response.

Her claim about restrictions failing in Australia should also be understood as her assessment, rather than a conclusion established by this interview.

India trade: opportunities are approaching, not yet fully operational

Parmar welcomed the New Zealand–India free trade agreement, arguing that India offered scale for innovative New Zealand businesses and opportunities to diversify export markets.

The agreement completed ratification on 21 September 2026 and is scheduled to enter into force on 20 October.

At the time of the interview, it had therefore been ratified but was not yet operating.

Businesses would still need to understand the agreement’s specific conditions and build commercial relationships. An agreement can improve access without guaranteeing sales.

Representation must lead to practical results

Parmar said her Indian heritage and New Zealand identity sat comfortably together. She described her role as representing everyone while bringing migrant experiences into parliamentary decisions.

Asked to identify a government failure needing urgent attention, she did not nominate a specific failure, instead discussing unfinished work and Parliament’s slower pace.

She closed by encouraging eligible voters to participate, arguing that they should not leave decisions about their future to others.

The interview presented ACT’s campaign case. For voters, the next question is which proposals can secure support and deliver measurable benefits beyond the election.

Source: Webfit News interview with Dr Parmjeet Parmar, supplied transcript; Ministry of Justice; ACT policy material; University of Auckland; New Zealand Parliament; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.