Peters: NZ First in 2011 bid to save country

Winston Peters said the country was being taken for a sucker. File photo / Herald on Sunday

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is back with all guns blazing today in a speech slamming immigration, foreign ownership and the Government.

Saying NZ First would be fighting the 2011 election to save the country, Mr Peters returned with relish to his old themes of immigration and foreign investment.

The comments were made in speech notes for delivery to the Kawerau and Districts Grey Power meeting this afternoon.

New Zealand had suffered a "tsunami" of immigrants, he said, and large scale immigration could not be justified when 140,000 people were out of work.

He said the country was being taken for a sucker and immigrants were not needed in many occupations. Some immigrants were using New Zealand as a "transit camp" before moving to Australia.

The burden of immigrants on welfare and pensions was bemoaned.

"These people are feasting on your pension pie ... the pension pie you and other Kiwis paid for."

Other topics included the perils of foreign ownership and the importance of agriculture to the economy.

Mr Peters said New Zealand needed to be wary of foreigners buying agricultural assets and "hovering" around Fonterra.

The kiwifruit industry was "being stalked by jackals".

He frequently referred to Finance Minister Bill English as Mr Double Dipton - referring to a housing allowance Mr English used to get for living in Wellington when his electorate is Dipton.

In last year's general election Mr Peters failed to regain his Tauranga seat and NZ First did not reach the 5 per cent threshold of party votes to get back into Parliament.

- NZPA