Is NZ First anti-immigrant rhetoric working or getting ‘weird and weirder’?
Monday, 20 July 2026
ANALYSIS: NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones drew cheers and claps when he called on other political parties to “take off your knee pads” when dealing with India.
It played well with party members who’d travelled from as far as Invercargill to hear the party’s ideas about nationhood, common sense and restoring the country to its former glory at its annual convention in Auckland at the weekend.
Though it made less sense to the National Party - a spokesperson saying: “Shane Jones’ comment was weird and his explanation is even weirder.”
Jones was referring to a huge public rally at Spark Arena last month for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and thousands of Kiwi-Indians turned out.
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Jones told The Post his “knee-pads” comment was “a common expression” he’d used to illustrate “a ridiculous level of obsequiousness”.
“What the criticism really relates to is that we're the only party opposed to this trade deal, which is camouflage for mass immigration and it surrenders far too much of our sovereignty to a foreign government.”
In a way it’s no huge surprise Jones - known for deploying florid language - would roll out such line on this particular topic.
NZ First has used the New Zealand-India free-trade agreement (FTA) to push anti-immigration messaging for months - and the issue more generally for decades.
And having mercilessly prosecuted the relative pros and cons of the FTA’s immigration settings (Jones said it would trigger “a butter chicken tsunami” in April), the party will be looking to further exploit this divide as the election draws closer.
This may resonate with party faithful - there was a lot of chatter about what leader Winston Peters calls an “unprecedented, uncontrolled level of immigration” at the conference - but blaming others for the country’s problems may only take NZ First so far.
The latest Ipsos issues survey in May found while concern for immigration had slowly grown over the past two years, it remained low as a priority issue for New Zealanders.
Asked what the three most important issues facing New Zealand today were, just 6% said immigration - well below Australia’s 23%. Immigration ranked 13th on the list of top issues in New Zealand while in Australia it was number 5.
National may well be reading the writing on the wall.
Asked for a response to Jones’ “knee-pads” comment, a spokesperson said the comment was “weird” and Jones’ explanation “even weirder”.
“If he really wants to put New Zealand first, he should take a leaf out of Mark Patterson’s book and recognise the huge benefits that the India FTA will provide to the people in the regions he claims to care about.”
Patterson - a NZ First MP and associate agriculture minister - recently travelled to India to promote New Zealand’s wool exports.
NZ First used its weekend conference to give a platform to its higher profile candidates, who took turns at explaining why they’d “come home” to the party at this particular juncture.
They praised Peters’ political experience and Peters himself went on to flaunt the insights he’d gained over “80-plus overseas trips” as foreign affairs minister this term.
“Don't underestimate just how disruptive the geo-strategic environment is. It's hugely complex and challenging and we are facing it all together,” he told the 600-odd people at Sunday’s campaign launch.
“This places an enormous premium on experience, and through experience, good judgement that protects New Zealand's vital interests.”
While ACT Party leader David Seymour said it was ultimately up to Peters to answer for Jones’ behaviour, Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson Vanushi Walters said the “knee-pads” comment was irresponsible.
'Divisive comments which target our migrant communities are completely unacceptable and have no place in New Zealand, let alone politics.”
'As politicians, our words carry weight and we have a responsibility to lead with unity, not stoke division.“
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said NZ First was “parroting their rhetoric to vilify specific ethnic communities.'
'NZ First and Shane Jones continue their shameful playbook to grab headlines by dog-whistling and scapegoating migrants for the failings they continue to contribute to.
“It is intended … to divide and distract.”
NZ First has now added another policy to its election offering: a $1 billion investment to survey offshore oilfields next term.
It’s a serious policy that warrants serious attention, but just like much of the considered policy discussions at the party’s convention this weekend, it’s vulnerable to being overshadowed by some of the party’s more incendiary views.
These arguments are unlikely to sway voters worried about the cost of groceries and power bills — the very people Peters must win over if he wants a larger bite of the MMP pie come November.