Stop populist ‘cosplay’, says Luxon, as Jones dismisses ‘take off your knee-pads’ uproar

Tuesday, 21 July 2026

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has hit back at NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones over controversial remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, labelling the party's stance 'easy, lazy politics'.

Debate about immigration has continued between National and NZ First.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon accused Regional Development Minister Shane Jones of “cosplaying” as populist anti-immigration politicians like Donald Trump and Pauline Hanson.

Shane Jones claimed his “knee-pads” comment could have referred to gardening or volleyball activities.

The coalition’s divide over immigration has widened further, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon calling for his ministers to please stop “cosplaying” as populist anti-immigration politicians.

Luxon, asked about the latest comments of Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, told Stuff the NZ First MP was trying to copy the success of foreign populist politicians such as Donald Trump or Australia’s Pauline Hanson.

Jones and NZ First have opposed the India Free Trade Deal, mainly due to its provisions for immigration, and have been dialling up rhetoric about immigration.

At an NZ First rally on Saturday, Jones criticised Luxon and other politicians for the adoration they showed India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, during a recent visit to Auckland.

The trip marked the first visit of a world leader of Modi's status since Bill Clinton Presedential visit in the 1990s.

“Labour Party, National Party, ACT Party, Green Party, the next time you go to an ethno-nationalist rally to receive a foreign leader, take off your knee-pads,” Jones said.

Luxon called that comment “crass”, “unprofessional” and “unacceptable”.

Some may have seen that comment as a reference to oral sex.

Jones, on Tuesday, said it was “woke” to have believed his comment could have been sexual innuendo. He, instead, claimed he was referring to other physical activities.

He said his comment was “harmless and innocuous”.

“It could have been to do with gardening or volleyball,” he said.

NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones spoke about India’s relationship with New Zealand during the party’s convention.

“Sadly, people have read luridity into it. All I was meaning was, when you go to an event hosted for ethno-nationalist purposes for a foreign leader, number one, don’t bow down,” he added.

Jones has also taken aim at immigration generally but, when discussing the issue at various points on Tuesday, he referred to migration from “the third world”, and specifically India.

Luxon said it looked like Jones was trying to capture a global trend of anti-immigration politics, seen recently in other Western democracies.

“You can do this immigration cosplay as much as you like and pretend you’re Farage, or protest you’re Hanson, or Le Pen, or Trump, but the reality is we do not have illegal immigration in this country. We have legal migration. It’s smart, fair and targeted,” Luxon said.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins called the comments “crass, unprofessional, childish behaviour”.

Labour MP Willie Jackson mused that Jones was in a fight for his survival as NZ First’s deputy leader.

“He knows his deputy leadership is under threat with Stuart Nash now being lined up as deputy leader,” Jackson said.

Jones denied he was seeking publicity to fend off a leadership challenge.

He said Nash, a former Labour MP, and former National MP Alfred Ngaro were “good mates”.

“I don't have much concern about what Willie might be pontificating about. Him and his leader. I mean, his leader is basically a caretaker, waiting for the undertaker,” Jones said.

Previously, in relation to the India Free Trade Agreement, Jones made reference to a “butter chicken tsunami”, later defending his comments as “hyperbole”.