NZ Universities Decline: ACT's Hypocrisy
ACT & Parmar Blame Universities for Her Government’s Failures.
By Dr Harpreet Singh | drhsinghnz.substack.com | FB: @DrHSinghNZ
I honestly cannot understand why Dr Parmar and the ACT Party thought publishing this post was a good idea. Either she has completely forgotten who was in power when the decline in university outlook began, or she has no idea what she is doing as a politician. Her previous posts show a consistent pattern of misunderstanding, ranging from Treaty issues to misreading basic statistics. This is not a one-off mistake; it reflects a troubling lack of depth on critical policy matters.
I urge voters to share their views on this issue in the comments. Do not hold back. You are the voter, and both the party and its MPs are accountable to you.
You find the post here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17SPWjizAP/
The Claim
Dr Parmjeet Parmar’s recent Facebook post warning that New Zealand universities risk becoming “internationally irrelevant” is not just misleading. It is political hypocrisy of the highest order. The Times Higher Education data she shared shows a sharp decline in “International Outlook” scores beginning in 2024 and continuing through 2026. That timeline is no coincidence. It aligns perfectly with the tenure of the current coalition government: National, ACT, and NZ First. This is the very administration Dr Parmar represents.
The Reality
Universities did not suddenly decide to turn inward. They were forced into survival mode by government policies that made New Zealand one of the least attractive destinations for international students and staff. In October 2024, visa fees were almost doubled, with student visa costs skyrocketing from $375 to $750, alongside steep increases in levies. The government floated an immigration levy on education providers, which would inevitably be passed on to students, adding yet another barrier. At the same time, Budgets 2024 and 2025 slashed funding for disciplines popular with international students and warned universities not to assume stability. Compliance costs and export education levies piled on while institutions faced mounting deficits and staff cuts.
Who Is Responsible?
These decisions were not accidents. They were deliberate choices made by the coalition government. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford oversaw fiscal tightening and funding shifts. ACT leader David Seymour pushed ideological curriculum changes and charter schools, diverting attention from global competitiveness. Winston Peters and NZ First focused on cultural battles instead of international positioning. And now Dr Parmar has the audacity to blame universities for being “inward-looking” when her own government pulled the rug out from under them.
The Consequences
Universities cannot compensate for skyrocketing visa costs, funding cuts, and policy uncertainty through curriculum tweaks. Criticising institutions while ignoring the structural damage caused by government decisions is not leadership. It is political deflection. If New Zealand’s universities are losing ground internationally, the blame lies squarely with National, ACT, and NZ First and its short-sighted policies.
