# PF058: I run a small manufacturing business that exports and employs staff. We are considering new equipment but worry about demand, freight costs and finding skilled workers. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What do parties propose about trade access, international relationships and risks to New Zealand exports?

Collected 19 October 2026

[NZ Election 2026 · Edition 4 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/4)

## ChatGPT

Answer ID: 169bb2e9-b92e-4a97-aedb-339512109d42

# New Zealand election 2026: what trade and export policy means for your manufacturing business

New Zealand's general election is scheduled for 7 November 2026. For a small manufacturer that exports and employs staff, the key question is how each party proposes to help you reach overseas customers, manage costs and invest with confidence — and how its international policies could affect demand for your products. [The main parties vying to form New Zealand's next government](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/main-parties-vying-form-new-zealands-next-government-2026-10-12/)[NZ trade policy | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/trade/nz-trade-policy)

Three issues are particularly important to your decision:

- Trade access: tariffs, free-trade agreements, customs rules and access to new markets.
- International relationships: the stability of relationships with major trading partners, and how foreign policy affects commercial ties.
- Business resilience: freight and fuel costs, supply-chain disruption, investment incentives and the availability of skilled workers.

New Zealand's trade exposure makes these issues relevant to manufacturers of all sizes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade reports that goods account for around 70% of exports of goods and services, with manufactured and industrial products forming a significant part of merchandise exports. [NZ trade policy | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/trade/nz-trade-policy)[Deliver an intensive, targeted programme of trade and economic diplomacy | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/mfat-annual-reports/mfat-annual-report-2025-26/deliver-an-intensive-targeted-programme-of-trade-and-economic-diplomacy)

Importantly, a party's trade promises do not automatically translate into lower freight bills or more orders. The comparison below separates stated policy from the possible implications for your business.

## 1. What the parties are proposing

### National — expand export markets and reduce trade friction

Source: National's 2026 trade policy

National's policy, titled New Zealand's Next Billion Customers, proposes:

- Starting trade negotiations with seven additional economies over the next five years.
- Expanding paperless trade and digital customs, and eliminating $1 billion in non-tariff barriers.
- Giving New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) a stronger role in helping exporters find customers.
- Completing at least 23 trade missions during the next term, with greater emphasis on measurable commercial outcomes.
- Maintaining the goal of doubling the value of exports by 2034. [New Zealand's Next Billion Customers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/new-trade)

What this could mean for you: less export paperwork, better access to prospective customers and more support for entering unfamiliar markets. The practical benefit would depend on whether your products are covered by new agreements and whether the proposed reforms reduce barriers relevant to your particular industry.

The India free-trade agreement is an important example. Parliament approved its implementing legislation in September 2026, and it is scheduled to enter into force on 20 October 2026. The agreement provides for tariffs to be eliminated or substantially reduced on 95% of New Zealand's current exports to India as it is implemented, including preferential access for some industrial goods. [New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement)[India FTA passes with significant majority](https://www.national.org.nz/news/260916-toddmcclay)

### Labour — domestic investment, jobs and business costs

Source: Labour's 2026 election policies

Labour's published campaign priorities emphasise economic management, jobs, infrastructure and the cost of living. Its policy programme includes a New Zealand Future Fund, intended to invest in the country's future, and measures intended to improve competition and reduce costs. [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[Labour's Cost of Living Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/2026-election-policy-summary-pages/cost-of-living-plan/)

For an exporting manufacturer, relevant proposals include:

- A three-year freeze on fuel excise tax.
- Action against excessive fuel and electricity pricing.
- Investment through the proposed New Zealand Future Fund.
- A fiscal plan aimed at returning the Government to surplus in 2028/29. [Labour's Cost of Living Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/2026-election-policy-summary-pages/cost-of-living-plan/)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)

What this could mean for you: if fuel-tax savings flow through to your transport providers, your freight costs might be lower than otherwise. Measures affecting electricity costs could also matter if your production is energy-intensive.

However, a fuel-tax freeze does not cap international shipping rates, diesel prices or global oil prices. Labour's published priorities also do not, by themselves, establish that your business would receive a direct capital grant or that new overseas markets would open.

### ACT — fiscal restraint and a smaller role for government

Source: ACT's 2026 policy announcements

ACT has emphasised returning the Government to surplus faster, avoiding new taxes and reducing government spending. Its public campaign material also emphasises regulatory reform and property rights. [ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-the-only-party-with-faster-path-to-surplus-no-new-taxes)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/one-law-for-all-with-one-future-together)

What this could mean for you: if your business is constrained by regulation, consenting delays or compliance costs, the relevant question is whether ACT's proposed changes would remove those particular barriers. Its fiscal approach may also affect the level and form of government support available to businesses.

The trade-specific National proposals above should not be automatically attributed to ACT simply because the parties have governed together. You would need to examine ACT's own detailed commitments on export promotion, trade agreements and manufacturing investment.

### Green Party — sustainability and fairer international trade

Source: Green Party policy platform

The Greens explicitly support trade and foreign investment that prioritise sustainability and justice. Their policy framework also emphasises climate action, environmental protection and international cooperation. [Complete Party Policy](https://www.greens.org.nz/policy)[Democracy and International Relations](https://www.greens.org.nz/democracy_and_international_relations)

What this could mean for you: if your products have a lower environmental footprint, policies that encourage sustainable production could create opportunities in markets where customers value verified environmental performance. Conversely, if your production depends heavily on fossil fuels or your products face costly environmental compliance requirements, the details of any new rules and transition support would matter.

The important distinction is that sustainability-focused trade policy does not automatically mean less access to overseas markets. The effect depends on the requirements imposed, the assistance available and the standards demanded by your customers.

### New Zealand First — targeted industrial development and energy security

Source: New Zealand First's 2026 policy announcements

New Zealand First has proposed a special economic zone at Marsden Point, encompassing the former refinery and Northport. The party describes a focus on energy generation and distribution, maritime activities and ship repair, with reduced planning and regulatory barriers. [Policy Announcement: Marsden Point Special Economic Zone](https://www.nzfirst.nz/policy_announcement_marsden_point_special_economic_zone)

It has also proposed replacing the current Accredited Employer Work Visa system with a more tightly targeted skilled-work visa system, based on demonstrated shortages and occupation-specific needs. [New Zealand First proposes replacement of AEWV with stricter skilled work visa](https://www.financialexpress.com/immigration/new-zealand-first-proposes-new-work-visa-tied-to-occupation-region-and-skills-shortage/4360468/)

What this could mean for you: the Marsden Point proposal could be relevant if your business operates in, supplies or uses services connected with energy and maritime industries. Its benefits for manufacturers elsewhere in New Zealand would be less direct.

On staffing, the proposed visa changes could help employers recruit for recognised shortages if their roles qualify, but could make recruitment more difficult for jobs outside the eligible categories. This is worth checking carefully if you rely on migrant technicians, engineers or machine operators.

New Zealand First has also advocated withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement. That could affect New Zealand's international climate relationships and policy settings, although the implications for any particular export contract would depend on the importing country's requirements and other trade obligations. [As New Zealand First pushes culture-war policies, analysts warn of limited appeal](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-first-pushes-culture-war-policies-analysts-warn-limited-appeal-2026-10-12/)

### Te Pāti Māori — consider economic and environmental policy alongside trade

Te Pāti Māori's publicly reported 2026 campaign priorities include housing, health, education, environmental protection and constitutional transformation. [The main parties vying to form New Zealand's next government](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/main-parties-vying-form-new-zealands-next-government-2026-10-12/)

For your particular question, I would distinguish those broad priorities from a specific export programme: I could not establish a sufficiently detailed, current set of party commitments on manufacturing export finance, freight costs or new trade agreements from the sources reviewed here. That does not mean the party has no relevant policies; it means those specific proposals should be verified before drawing conclusions about their effect on your business.

## 2. How their approaches compare against your business risks

This is a practical comparison of the proposals discussed above, rather than a ranking of parties.

| Your concern | Policies worth examining | What to verify before investing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Uncertain export demand | National's trade missions and market-opening agenda; Labour's Future Fund | Evidence of demand in your target markets and whether your products qualify for preferential access |
| High freight and fuel costs | Labour's fuel-tax freeze; National's digital customs and trade facilitation | Whether savings affect your actual freight routes, fuel use and shipping contracts |
| Difficulty recruiting skilled staff | Labour's apprenticeship and upskilling proposals; ACT's workforce visa policies; NZ First's proposed skilled-work visa | Whether your specific occupations qualify and how long recruitment is likely to take |
| High cost of new machinery | Labour's proposed $10,000 immediate asset write-off for eligible small businesses; its Future Fund | Whether your business qualifies, the equipment's cost and the final tax and funding rules |
| Reliance on a few overseas customers | National's proposed new trade negotiations; the existing network of trade agreements | Whether new markets suit your product, customer base and distribution costs |
| Disruption from geopolitical tensions | Trade diversification, supply-chain resilience and international diplomacy | How exposed you are to particular shipping routes, imported components, tariffs or export controls |

Sources: National's trade policy, Labour's small-business and Future Fund proposals, ACT's policy announcements and official trade information. [New Zealand's Next Billion Customers](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/new-trade)[Labour's New Zealand Future Fund](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/new-zealand-future-fund)[Labour's Small Business Action Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/small-business-action-plan/)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-celebrates-signing-of-nz-india-free-trade-agreement)[ACT New Zealand](https://www.act.org.nz/news/act-unveils-rural-workforce-visa-to-solve-farm-worker-shortage)[Deliver an intensive, targeted programme of trade and economic diplomacy | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/mfat-annual-reports/mfat-annual-report-2025-26/deliver-an-intensive-targeted-programme-of-trade-and-economic-diplomacy)

One qualification on equipment investment: Labour's proposed asset write-off is a specific tax-policy proposal, not a cash grant. Its actual value depends on eligibility and your tax position. Confirm the final rules before including any tax saving in your investment calculations. [Labour's Small Business Action Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/small-business-action-plan/)

## 3. International relationships: why they matter to exporters

New Zealand's international relationships can affect your business through three main channels.

- Market access and tariffs. Free-trade agreements can reduce import duties in destination markets, making eligible New Zealand products more competitive. The India agreement is a current example, with the benefits phased in differently across products. [Overview | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement/overview)[India FTA passes with significant majority](https://www.national.org.nz/news/260916-toddmcclay)
- Trade stability and supply chains. New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade identifies tariff changes, disrupted supply chains and changing regulations as sources of uncertainty for exporters. Its trade strategy emphasises predictable international rules, resilience and new opportunities. [Deliver an intensive, targeted programme of trade and economic diplomacy | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/mfat-annual-reports/mfat-annual-report-2025-26/deliver-an-intensive-targeted-programme-of-trade-and-economic-diplomacy)
- Regulatory and geopolitical exposure. Some products, technologies and destinations face export controls or other restrictions. Manufacturers exporting specialised equipment should check whether their goods are subject to additional controls. [Which exports are controlled? | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/export-controls/which-exports-are-controlled)

A useful distinction when assessing party claims is whether a policy creates a new commercial opportunity or protects an existing one. A new trade agreement may create potential customers, but it cannot guarantee orders. Similarly, good diplomatic relationships can support trade without guaranteeing lower shipping rates or uninterrupted supply chains.

## 4. What to check before committing to new equipment

Given your concerns about demand, freight and recruitment, you could use the following checklist regardless of which party you support.

## Equipment investment checklist

0 of 6

Test demandEstimate orders under a conservative scenario, not just your expected growth case.

Check market accessConfirm the relevant tariff, product classification, rules of origin and destination-market requirements.

Stress-test freight costsModel higher freight, fuel, insurance and delivery costs, including a shipping disruption.

Confirm staffingCheck local recruitment, training time, wage costs and eligibility for any relevant work-visa route.

Compare investment supportVerify tax deductions, grants, financing and eligibility directly against the published rules.

Plan for disruptionIdentify alternative suppliers, shipping routes and overseas customers where practical.

## 5. Where to look before you vote

These are useful starting points for checking the detail of each party's commitments:

- [National — trade policy](https://www.national.org.nz/policies/new-trade?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
- [Labour — all 2026 election policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
- [Labour — Small Business Action Plan](https://www.labour.org.nz/election-policy-pages/small-business-action-plan/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
- [ACT — official policy announcements](https://www.act.org.nz/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
- [Green Party — complete policy platform](https://www.greens.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
- [New Zealand First — official policy announcements](https://www.nzfirst.nz/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
- [Policy.nz — compare 2026 party policies](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/economy?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
- [Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade — trade policy and agreements](https://www.mfat.govt.nz/trade/nz-trade-policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

## The key question for your vote

When weighing up the parties, consider which combination of trade access, investment support, workforce policy and international stability best addresses the risks your business actually faces. Also distinguish a party's own commitments from policies already in place or agreements supported across multiple parties.

One question that would help make this comparison more relevant: what does your business manufacture and which overseas markets do you export to? That would let us examine which trade agreements, freight exposures and workforce policies are most relevant to your circumstances, without assuming which party you should vote for.

## Gemini

Answer ID: c156aef1-4f82-4336-bb71-e8b3311f7069

Running a small manufacturing export business involves balancing tight margins, international logistics, and workforce pressures. Ahead of the 2026 general election, New Zealand political parties have laid out distinct visions concerning trade access, international relationships, and export resilience. 

---

### 1. Trade Access and International Relationships
Major parties generally agree on the importance of maintaining an open trading nation, but their strategic emphasis and methods differ:

* **National and ACT:** Focus heavily on traditional free-market approaches. They advocate for continuing to sweat existing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) while pursuing new bilateral and high-standard trade deals, particularly across Asia, the Gulf, and North America. Their international relationship strategy centers on strong alignment with traditional security and economic partners (such as the Five Eyes and Indo-Pacific partners) to secure commercial pathways and rules-based trade.
* **Labour:** Supports expanding and leveraging the network of FTAs built or upgraded over recent years, with a strong emphasis on sustainability chapters within trade agreements. Labour’s approach to international relations stresses multilateralism, climate cooperation, and diplomatic backing for exporters breaking into green tech and value-added sectors.
* **NZ First:** Emphasizes economic nationalism and supply chain sovereignty. While acknowledging the necessity of trade, they place a strong emphasis on protecting domestic industries from unfair foreign competition, securing critical domestic fuel and energy independence, and ensuring New Zealand's strategic autonomy in foreign policy.
* **Green Party and Te Pāti Māori:** Link trade policy tightly to environmental, climate, and ethical standards. They scrutinize trade agreements for their carbon footprint and labor rights compliance, arguing that New Zealand's international relationships should prioritize ecological resilience and partnership with Indigenous economies globally.

### 2. Risks to Exports: Freight, Supply Chains, and Infrastructure
Exporters face significant vulnerability from high freight costs, domestic transport bottlenecks, and global supply chain shocks. Parties offer varying infrastructure solutions:

* **Right-of-Centre (National / ACT):** Focus on roads of national significance, reducing red tape on transport logistics, and relying on private-public partnerships (PPPs) or alternative financing to build resilient transport corridors connecting regions to ports. The goal is lowering internal logistics costs through efficiency and road/freight network upgrades.
* **NZ First:** Has made regional infrastructure a flagship platform, pushing for robust supply-chain resilience through transport network investments (such as road and rail integration), supporting coastal shipping and domestic merchant fleet capabilities, and reducing reliance on fragile overseas shipping lines.
* **Centre-to-Left (Labour / Greens):** Emphasize a balanced multi-modal freight network—supporting both rail and road—alongside lowering emissions in the freight sector. They focus heavily on climate-proofing infrastructure against extreme weather events, which increasingly threaten regional supply chains and factory-to-port transit.

### 3. Overlapping Concerns: Equipment Investment and Skilled Labour
While trade and freight handle the external side of your business, your worries about buying new equipment and finding skilled workers intersect directly with broader party economic packages:

* **Investment & Capital (Equipment):** National and ACT campaign heavily on "no new taxes", business confidence, and regulatory relief (such as resource management and health/safety compliance easing) to free up cash flow for capital expenditure. Business groups like ExportNZ and the EMA are pushing all parties for enhanced depreciation settings on machinery and technology to encourage investment. Conversely, Labour and the Greens propose targeted tax shifts (such as capital gains or wealth/asset taxes) to fund public services, which right-leaning parties argue hurt business reinvestment.
* **Skills and Immigration:** Finding skilled workers is a universal pain point for manufacturers. Right-of-centre parties generally support employer-led immigration settings that respond directly to verified workforce gaps, paired with industry-led vocational training reforms. Centre-left parties lean towards strengthening domestic polytechnic and workforce planning systems (such as Industry Skills Boards) to train local workers, while balancing migrant labor against local wage growth.

---

**What specific policy area—such as freight infrastructure investment, tax incentives for new equipment, or immigration settings for skilled trades—is most critical for your manufacturing business right now?**

## Google AI Mode

Answer ID: 4e1e1970-f867-43f8-86ba-ba5c0b1a5316

**New Zealand political parties approach trade access, export risks, and business inputs (such as equipment investment, freight, and skilled labor) through contrasting economic philosophies, balancing free-market agreements, domestic productivity, and workforce policy.**

As a small manufacturer navigating global uncertainties, equipment costs, and labor constraints ahead of the **7 November 2026 general election** , the major parliamentary blocs offer distinct positions: [Wikipedia]

* * *

Centre-Right Coalition (National, ACT, New Zealand First)

 * * **Trade Access & International Relationships:** Focus heavily on expanding bilateral and multilateral free-trade agreements (FTAs), deepening ties in the Indo-Pacific, and reducing regulatory friction for exporters. They emphasize traditional export markets (Asia, Australia, the US, UK, and EU) and lowering compliance costs to help goods move smoothly. [Wikipedia]

 * **Freight & Infrastructure:** Generally favor public-private partnerships and targeted transport/logistics investments rather than direct state intervention, aiming to streamline supply chains through roads, ports, and regional connectivity.

 * **Skilled Labor & Immigration:** Lean toward employer-driven migration settings and targeted skill lists to fill critical gaps in manufacturing, while tightening general or lower-skilled pathways to manage population pressures.

 * **Risks to Exports:** View heavy domestic regulations, carbon-transition costs, and rigid labor laws as primary risks to manufacturer competitiveness, arguing that lowering red tape and business taxes is the best way to help firms invest in modern equipment.

 *

* * *

Centre-Left & Opposition (Labour, Green Party, Te Pāti Māori)

 * * **Trade Access & International Relationships:** Support existing rules-based international trade while increasingly linking trade policy to environmental standards, fair labor practices, and supply-chain resilience (such as addressing modern slavery and climate obligations). They emphasize value-add manufacturing and sovereign supply chains.

 * **Freight & Infrastructure:** Generally propose greater coordinated public investment in rail, green freight networks, and regional logistics hubs to lower long-term transport emissions and bottlenecks.

 * **Skilled Labor & Immigration:** Focus more heavily on domestic workforce training, apprenticeships, and industry-tied education to build a local skilled manufacturing base, paired with selective migrant settings that protect local wages and conditions.

 * **Risks to Exports:** Highlight climate change, global supply-chain volatility, and a lack of domestic R&D/capital commercialisation as core risks, proposing targeted grants, sustainable tech support, or tax incentives for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) to upgrade equipment and transition to low-emissions models.

 *

* * *

Summary Comparison for Small Manufacturers

Issue Area| Centre-Right (National / ACT / NZ First)| Centre-Left / Opposition (Labour / Greens)
---|---|---
**Trade Strategy**| Aggressive FTA expansion & market access| FTAs paired with environmental/labor standards
**Equipment & Tech**| Tax relief, red-tape reduction, private capital| Targeted green/innovation grants, tech transition support
**Freight & Logistics**| Roading, port efficiency, market-led solutions| Coordinated public freight, rail, and regional logistics
**Skilled Labor**| Employer-led migration & targeted skill lists| Domestic training, apprenticeships, wage protection

To narrow this down to what matters most for your shop floor, are you more concerned with **finding and retaining local/migrant tradespeople** , **accessing capital/grants for new machinery** , or **navigating compliance and shipping costs**?

## AI Overviews

Answer ID: c89ca780-b81d-418b-a8da-8422bf5d3567

As a small manufacturing exporter balancing equipment investments, freight costs, and staffing, the major political parties present contrasting frameworks for addressing trade access, international relationships, and export risks in the **2026 General Election**.

Here is how the leading parties propose to handle these factors for New Zealand businesses:

* * *

🏛️ National Party: Expanding Global Markets & AI Integration

National's core platform centers on a target to **double the value of New Zealand's exports by 2034**. They advocate for a highly active, commercially led trade agenda.

 * **Trade Access:** They have pledged to prioritize **seven new trade negotiations within the next five years** (targeting Brazil, Switzerland, Argentina, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Uruguay, and the European Free Trade Association) to secure new customer bases. A second tranche focuses on expanding into African and middle-eastern markets (e.g., South Africa, Morocco, Turkey) over the decade.
 * **Reducing Costs & Friction:** National aims to eliminate **$1 billion in non-tariff barriers** and cut red tape through paperless trade and digital customs to ease export logistics.
 * **Exporter Support:** They propose shifting New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) to a "lead and follow" model, assigning relationship managers to 200 export-ready firms, and deploying **AI-powered tools** to help small businesses navigate complex foreign tariffs and rules of origin.

🌹 Labour Party: Stability, Domestic Capabilities & Business Protection

Labour focuses on protecting existing rules-based global trade systems while strengthening the domestic small-business ecosystem to make operations more resilient to international shocks.

 * **Domestic Operations & Supply Chains:** Through their _Small Business Action Plan_ , Labour intends to help small businesses reduce administrative paperwork, speed up domestic invoice processing, and implement protections against foreign or domestic price-gouging.
 * **Workforce Stability:** To address the skilled worker shortages you mentioned, Labour is promoting the expansion of the **Apprenticeship Boost program** and trade-training funding to bolster the pipeline of local technical talent.
 * **Risks & International Stance:** Rather than prioritizing rapid deregulation, Labour seeks to maintain a steady geopolitical equilibrium, though their proposed **28% Capital Gains Tax** on commercial investment property profits excludes active small business operations.

🌿 Green Party: Decarbonization & Mission-Led Export Access

The Greens view international relations and trade risks predominantly through a climate-action lens, pushing for "decarbonized" economic models.

 * **Trade Access Restrictions:** The Greens support strict adherence to environmental provisions within trade agreements. Under their framework, trade would be leveraged to align with climate goals, which could penalize carbon-intensive manufacturing but advantage sustainable products.
 * **Export Assistance:** The Greens propose a **$125 million scheme specifically targeted at helping early-stage businesses grow and enter export markets**. They also intend to restructure business incentive schemes to support technical R&D focused on clean energy and automation.

🦅 ACT Party: Deregulation & Domestic Cost Deflation

ACT’s strategy for supporting exporters focuses almost entirely on removing domestic regulatory and labor constraints to make New Zealand products more competitive globally.

 * **Labor & Staffing Costs:** ACT proposes lowering the training wage to **60% of the adult minimum wage** for workers under 20 and freezing the adult minimum wage for three years to give employers immediate cost predictability.
 * **Risk Reduction:** ACT advocates for rolling back climate regulations (such as net-zero targets) and abolishing the Climate Change Commission to reduce compliance costs. They support lowering corporate hurdles so that manufacturers can operate with fewer operational barriers when facing volatile overseas demand.

🤝 New Zealand First: Economic Nationalism & Supply Chain Security

NZ First prioritizes national self-reliance, expressing skepticism regarding the long-term domestic impacts of unchecked international trade agreements.

 * **Business Relief:** To offset global shipping and demand pressures, NZ First is campaigning on **lowering the company tax rate for SMEs to 20%** (for companies with a turnover under $30 million).
 * **Logistics & Labor:** They support **"shortage-led" skilled work visas** to directly address specialized staffing gaps while keeping broad net immigration restricted. They also advocate for establishing Special Economic Zones to secure domestic energy and maritime logistical hubs.

* * *

To help tailor this breakdown to your manufacturing operation, let me know:

 * What **specific regions or countries** do you primarily export to or hope to target?
 * What **specialized skills** are proving the hardest to secure for your workshop?

I can map these party platforms more directly to your business needs.