NZ First leader Peters makes immigration central to election campaign

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 2 Nov, 02:02 · Archive

New Zealand's 81-year-old foreign minister Winston Peters is campaigning on immigration restrictions, proposing deportation powers, welfare limits and visa caps.

Winston Peters, New Zealand's foreign minister and leader of NZ First, is campaigning for a 14th term as an MP with immigration control as his central message. Now 81, Peters has been in parliament since 1978 and led NZ First since 1993. His party is polling around 11 per cent, on track for its best result in at least two decades.

NZ First proposes what Peters calls the most serious immigration reform in a generation. The package includes new deportation powers, tougher access to welfare for migrants, a referendum on capping resident visas, shortened or lengthened routes to citizenship, and stripping voting rights from non-citizens. Peters is demanding the immigration ministry as a condition of the right bloc's re-election.

Peters' campaign rhetoric includes attacks on 'globalists' and assertions that NZ First is more nationalist than its coalition partners, the centre-right National party and ACT. He argues New Zealand should follow the migration models of many Asian countries, which 'only bring people to the country who they need, not who need them'. During a TVNZ debate, Peters was the only party leader who did not raise his hand when asked if diversity was a good thing.

How it is being reported

• NZ First's Winston Peters tapping One Nation's wellThe 81-year-old New Zealand foreign minister is vying for a 14th term as an MP and put immigration at the centre of his election bid.The West Australian · 2 Nov, 01:51
• NZ First's Winston Peters tapping One Nation's wellThe 81-year-old New Zealand foreign minister is vying for a 14th term as an MP and put immigration at the centre of his election bid.Perth Now · 2 Nov, 01:51

In this story: Winston Peters · NZ First · New Zealand · National party · ACT · Australia

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log