NZ First party leader- Winston Peters has been publicly distancing Christopher Luxon and the government from some key economic and immigration decisions as the 2026 election campaign starts to take shape.

On the Budget, Peters has argued the government made the “wrong choices” and suggested a budget surplus should already have been achieved rather than pushed further out. Debate around the latest Budget has exposed tensions inside the coalition, especially between NZ First and National over spending priorities and superannuation policy.

Speaking to Radio Tarana host Sanjesh Narain -Peters has also strongly opposed any increase to the superannuation age or cuts to pension entitlements. He recently described protecting superannuation as a “top line” issue for NZ First, not just a negotiable coalition point.

On immigration, Peters says NZ First is “not anti-immigration” but wants what he calls “focused” or “targeted” immigration — bringing in workers for genuine shortages rather than relying on large-scale migration to drive economic growth. NZ First has repeatedly criticised what it calls “loose” or “mass” immigration settings.

This positioning appears aimed at separating NZ First from National and ACT before the election, while still remaining part of the coalition government. Political commentators in New Zealand have noted that coalition parties are increasingly differentiating themselves publicly as campaigning intensifies.