‘Shame on you Shane Jones’: Nicola Willis unleashes on NZ First over India deal

Wednesday, 29 April 2026

Trade Minister Todd McClay secures a major free trade agreement in New Delhi, reducing tariffs for exporters. However, domestic friction grows as political parties clash over the government's restoration of interest deductibility for landlords.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has unleashed another round of fury on her coalition partners in New Zealand First, this time over their criticism of the India free trade deal.

Willis condemned what she called “race-based scaremongering” from NZ First, and singled out deputy leader Shane Jones for his comment about a “butter chicken tsunami”.

She laid into Jones in the House on Wednesday, while National Party backbenchers echoed her speech shouting at NZ First, “shameful! Shameful!”

Willis said Jones had offended people across New Zealand and criticised NZ First for turning against regional New Zealanders, as she argued this deal would benefit the regions.

“It offended me and let me tell you, it has offended New Zealanders of Indian descent up and down this country… who are hurt and feel betrayed,” Willis said, of Jones’ “butter chicken tsunami” remark.

National deputy leader Nicola Willis has taken aim at NZ First deputy Shane Jones.

“Shame on you, Shane Jones,” she said.

“That kind of race-based rhetoric has no place in New Zealand politics.”

Tension between Willis and NZ First has been ratcheting up this month, especially after Winston Peters weighed in to call National’s leaders and MPs “inexperienced”, “egotistical” and self-obsessed after last week’s confidence vote.

Willis also criticised Labour, saying it had been “quite happy to sit back” and let anti-immigration sentiment take hold, but Labour’s Kieran McAnulty interjected, denying it had done so.

Last week, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said it wouldn’t be acceptable for a minister in a government he led to make comments like Jones had.

Willis’ straight-up rebuke against Jones arrived more than a week after the Government was first alerted to his comment. Ministers had initially been reluctant to criticise Jones.

Asked last Monday about it, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wouldn’t use the word “racist”, but said “it doesn’t sound right”.

Dr Carlos Cheung was the first National MP to condemn Shane Jones’ comments about the India free trade deal.

“I mean, I’m just saying to you, it is alarmist and is actually, actually unhelpful language because actually what this is about is an opportunity for New Zealand. And I just think, we need to elevate,” he told Stuff.

The first National MP to condemn the butter chicken comment was backbencher Dr Carlos Cheung, the MP for Mt Roskill.

On Wednesday, he told reporters that many of his constituents were angry with the Government about Jones’ “racist” comment.

“Any political leader shouldn’t use ethnic communities as a political football.

“I think any racist comment is unacceptable,” he said.

Asked again about the issue after Cheung condemned the “racist comment”, Luxon said: “Well, I’m saying they’re unacceptable. What I actually want to see is a tsunami of kiwifruit going to India.”

Jones was more restrained this week when Stuff asked about the India free trade deal, and specifically that butter chicken comment.

He said he stood by the substance of his comments, which was aimed at the India free trade deal’s novel inclusion of immigration changes in the trade pact.

In the deal, which was only fully released to the public on Tuesday, New Zealand has committed to providing 1667 temporary employment visas to Indian citizens each year. In total, there could be up to 5000 temporary employment visas as part of the deal.

There would be specific visas for Indians on working holidays, with 1000 one-year visas issued per year to workers under 30 years old. There was also a provision to ease access for postgraduate students wanting to study in New Zealand.

As part of the temporary employment visas, there would be up to 200 visas issued each year as part of a new “iconic” visa for Indian chefs, yoga instructors, musicians and traditional healers.

Jones said those visas were a cause for concern within New Zealand First.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Trade Minister Todd McClay campaigned on getting a free trade deal with India across the line.

“I don't like blockchain immigration,” he said this week.

“It seems very odd that one of the features of the free trade deal is an unfettered path for more Indian chefs. But look, I don't want to reprise what was last week's news,” he said.

Trade Minister Todd McClay told Stuff that Indian negotiators asked for the the chef and yoga teacher visas because of the cultural significance of those professions.

“It is a work permit for three years only. It is capped at a small number compared to some of the other areas,” he said.

In return, he said the deal made it easier for New Zealand businesspeople to travel to India. But “we haven't looked to have New Zealand chefs or something like that”.

NZ First opposed the deal, but it was set to pass thanks to support from Labour. McClay travelled to India earlier this week to lock it in, but it would still need to pass through scrutiny in Parliament.