An immigration lawyer is accusing New Zealand First leader Winston Peters of having his head in the sand by advocating that immigration numbers be cut.
Party leader Winston Peters says it would move to restrict the number of people moving to this country, to protect workers.
Releasing New Zealand First's immigration policy at a Grey Power meeting in Nelson on Thursday 16 October, Mr Peters said immigration numbers should be cut to ensure New Zealanders did not have to compete with immigrants for jobs as the economy went into decline.
But immigration lawyer Alex Lee says that fails to take into account the worldwide demand for skilled workers.
He says cutting immigration numbers could be detrimental at a time of recession, when the country should be doing everything it can to encourage competition.
"It is so important that we get the best skills and the best people for our industry, and if we don't have those skills that we have a policy that will bring them out here, not only work within our industry but to impart those skills back to our own people."
However, Mr Peters says the idea that immigrants keep the economy afloat is failed economic theory, that disguises the need for productive exports built and created by New Zealanders.
Honest debate - Peters
In his speech, Mr Peters said it was time to have an honest debate about immigration at a time when the country faced serious economic challenges.
He says immigration policy must be based on meeting legitimate labour market shortages, so that New Zealanders do not have to compete with immigrants for jobs.
Mr Peters says New Zealand First would cut immigration numbers, and would address what he calls dysfunction within the Immigration Service, by creating a stand alone Immigration Department.
He says the party also wants only the immediate families of immigrants allowed into New Zealand, bringing an end to what he says is abuse of the family reunification policy.
