NZ First divided over Asian immigrants

ONE NEWS: There is division over Asian immigration within the political party that has put it back up for debate.

Peter Brown's views have been labelled racist and despicable and one of his colleagues in New Zealand First is even distancing himself from the deputy leader.

Brown's take on NZ's growing Asian population was designed to spark reaction but List MP Dail Jones appeared wary over his remarks, saying in response to a question about Asian immigration that he had he had "no problem with the situation in New Zealand".

On Wednesday Brown said that if the country is flooded with different cultures and different attitudes "they will go and live in their own little communities and the country will suffer for it".

Some have labelled the comment racist but the party's leader says it is policy.

"A founding principle of New Zealand First was the question of immigration - that it should be economically and socially targeted in the interests of this nation," Winston Peters says.

Fuelling the nation's immigration debate has won the party support in previous elections but there is little political support this time round.

United Future leader Peter Dunne says it's despicable.

"It's election year, it's on cue, it's racist," says Dunne.

Green Party MP Keith Locke says the country must reject Brown's "white supremacist policy of treating European culture as superior to that of other nations".

National MP Tau Henare has linked Brown's comments to the coming election and says he finds them offensive.

"I used to be a member of New Zealand First and I don't want any part of it," Henare says.