Shymal Kumar
High school teacher and former refugee Netra Ghimire is running for a New Zealand parliamentary seat from Palmerston North. The Opportunity Party candidate was born and raised in a refugee camp in Nepal. He resettled in New Zealand when he was 11 years old.
“That gives me a perspective shaped by both migration and community, and I understand how important it is to feel a sense of belonging. Palmerston North is also one of New Zealand’s major refugee resettlement centres,” Ghimire said.
He added that he plans to break the establishment gridlock to enter the Beehive by doing politics differently. He intends to achieve this by listening to people, connecting with communities, and putting evidence and practical solutions ahead of political point-scoring. Adding on, he particularly wants to give young people a stronger voice in decisions that will shape their future.
Ghimire said that he reminds himself that serving in Parliament would be a privilege, not a personal entitlement.
“There will always be pressure, criticism and disagreement, but if you stay grounded in why you are there and who you are serving, you can handle it. I think pressure can also be healthy when it keeps you accountable,” Ghimire said.
When asked about how many qualified Asian migrants work in low-skilled jobs to make a living and what his strategy is to overcome this, Ghimire said we need an economy where people’s skills are properly valued and where hard work leads to a decent standard of living, and more broadly, his goal is to build a New Zealand where someone working full-time can afford the essentials, have a secure home and have the opportunity to build a meaningful life.
Ghimire addressed the legislative policies needed to create a level playing field for upcoming migrants: “This is an area where we are still developing our policy position, so I don’t want to pretend we have a fully formed answer when we don’t.
“But the principle is straightforward: if someone has valuable skills and qualifications, we should have systems that allow them to use those skills rather than leaving them underemployed.”
Regarding concerns that many migrants use New Zealand as a backdoor to permanently move to Australia, causing potential local workforce shortages: “Again, we are still developing our detailed position on this,” Ghimire said. “But I think the bigger question is why people choose to leave. If New Zealand offers good jobs, affordable housing, quality public services and a genuinely good quality of life, we are far more likely to retain the people we need.”
“I would say judge me on what I do, not what boxes I tick. My background is part of who I am, but I am standing because I want to contribute to the future of Palmerston North and New Zealand. Ultimately, I’m here to serve,” Ghimire stated when asked how he responds to the idea that his candidacy might be viewed as ticking multiple boxes.
The Opportunity Party is led by Fiji-born Quilae “Q” Wong. The party was formed in 2016 and has yet to win a seat in the New Zealand’s Parliamentary elections. As per their website, The Opportunity Party claims that they come from all walks of life but none of us is a career politician.
The current incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Palmerston North and Ghimire’s opponent is Tangi Utikere of the Labour Party. Utikere will re-contest this seat during the elections in November.
While it may be a long shot, if elected, Netra Ghimire would make history as the first Nepali-origin Member of the New Zealand Parliament.
Contributing Author: Shymal Kumar is a final-year journalism student at the University of the South Pacific, undertaking his journalism internship with The Australia Today as part of his academic and career development. His journalism focuses on data-driven investigative reporting and challenging conventional media narratives to promote independent and balanced journalism.
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