Peters launches broadside against India trade deal and ‘woke’ policies

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has intensified his party’s election campaign, attacking the Government’s newly signed free trade agreement with India while positioning New Zealand First as the only party willing to challenge what he described as globalist policies, mass immigration and “woke” social engineering.

Speaking in Cambridge on Sunday, Peters announced two new Waikato candidates and used the occasion to outline a series of policy priorities ahead of the election, including cost-of-living measures, opposition to the Paris Agreement, resistance to further genetic engineering reforms and criticism of Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori.

A major focus of Peters’ speech was the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. He argued the deal was heavily weighted in India’s favour, claiming New Zealand had granted immediate tariff reductions while receiving limited access for key exports such as dairy products.

Peters questioned provisions relating to the Paris Climate Agreement and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), saying they conflicted with existing coalition agreements. He also criticised commitments relating to investment and migration, describing the agreement as “more a Free Migration Deal than a Free Trade Deal”.

Peters said the agreement would allow thousands of work visa holders and international students into New Zealand while delivering only modest economic benefits, while projections showed the deal would increase New Zealand’s GDP by only a fraction over coming decades.

“The free trade deal is a monotony of mistakes and coverups,” he said.

The New Zealand First leader also renewed his party’s opposition to the Paris Agreement, arguing New Zealand should prioritise domestic environmental investment rather than spending money on international climate obligations. He said the party would campaign on withdrawing from the accord.

Peters signalled that New Zealand First would not support the current version of the Gene Technology Bill, saying safeguards and protections were insufficient and warning that liberalising genetic engineering could threaten New Zealand’s reputation as a GE-free producer.

He also defended the party’s proposed legislation defining the terms “man” and “woman” in law, describing it as a matter of protecting women’s rights and biological reality rather than targeting any community. Peters said New Zealand First would continue opposing what he called “woke” ideology in government agencies, schools and public institutions.

“We are fighting back the cancerous social engineering being pushed in society by a woke minority,” he said.

Concluding his speech, Peters said New Zealand First remained focused on representing ordinary working New Zealanders and promised to continue campaigning on cost-of-living issues, national sovereignty and what he described as common-sense policies.

Separate social media commentary accompanying the speech echoed concerns about the India trade agreement, claiming it would provide limited economic returns while increasing migration and reinforcing commitments linked to UNDRIP and the Paris Agreement.

🚩Winston Peters on the road : Cambridge voiced its displeasure with Luxon’s awful India FTD.

Winston Peters gave an excellent 10 minute speech on why he’s determined to stop the deal, that even prominent Act supporter KC Gary Judge describes as a “dangerous constitutional… pic.twitter.com/hZF3FeLNuD

— Holyhekatuiteka (@2ETEKA) June 14, 2026