Labour Promises Relief for Small Businesses Amid Rising Costs

Labour's Leader Chris Hipkins has outlined his party's plan to support small businesses in New Zealand, particularly those from Indian communities.

A recent report commissioned by the Waitakere Indian Association found that Kiwi Indians contributed more than $37 billion to the country's economy in the year to March 2025 and supported over 220,000 full-time jobs.

However, Labour believes that under National's leadership, small business owners are being squeezed by rising costs and falling demand, with business liquidations at a 15-year high.

To address this, Labour's Small Business Action Plan aims to require big businesses to pay small suppliers within 15 days of invoices over $25,000, lift the asset write-off from $1,000 to $10,000 for businesses with annual turnover below $10 million, and raise the GST registration threshold from $60,000 to $80,000.