Australian Senator Fraser Anning has responded to being called a 'moron' by Winston Peters

Fraser Anning, left, hit back at Winston Peters. Photos / Getty Images

The Australian Senator who Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters described as a "moron" has hit back at comments made by the NZ First Leader this morning.

Although he called the remarks "defamatory", Senator Fraser Anning told the Herald he supported Peters' "positions on Muslims".

"I would like to highlight a number of comments Mr Peters has made which I fully endorse," Anning said.

The Senator, whose comments about Muslims and immigration after the March 15 Christchurch shooting were described by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as "a disgrace", referenced a speech Peters made in 2005.

"In New Zealand, the Muslim community have been quick to show us their more moderate face, but as some media reports have shown, there is a militant underbelly here as well," Peters said at the time.

Anning said those were comments he "fully endorsed".

In the same speech, Peters said these two groups – the moderate and militant – "fit hand and glove everywhere they exist".

Anning's comments since the shooting have drawn a wide array of criticism for their Islamophobic nature.

One boy, a 17-year old Will Connolly, smashed an egg on Anning's head in protest of his remarks.

Various Australian politicians have voiced their disdain to Anning's position.

Peters did not respond to request from comment when asked about Anning's response to the Herald.

Fraser Anning is 'egged'. Photo / 9News

But in a Radio New Zealand interview, Peters would not back down from the comments he made in the 2005 speech.

He said the comments were made in the context of terror attacks in London and that Imams around the world were saying the same thing.

"I was talking about extremism and I don't resile from that."

Speaking to Sky News , Peters called Anning: "four-flushing, jingoistic moron, but you already know that in Australia".

"He is a national, absolute, democratic aberration. We all know why he's there. He's there by pure accident.

"It means you have to clean up your political system to avoid that sort of person making it into politics."