NZ First party leader Winston Peters is talking tough on foreign ownership, land sales and race-based political parties as seen during a public meeting in Katikati today.

In front of standing room only at the War Memorial Hall, Winston addressed the party faithful which was predominantly an older audience

NZ First leader Winston Peters during a public meeting at the War Memorial Hall today. Photos: Bruce Barnard.

As expected foreign ownership was the central theme of his speech which he interwove into other issues throughout the hour long meeting.

These included housing, the selling off of state-owned assets, land sales, and the banking industry to name a few.

New Zealanders know we are headed in the wrong direction on foreign ownership of our country, says Winston.

'Foreign ownership needs to be put in the wider context of our economy. For years we have been exporting, or as they say, ‘offshoring' our manufacturing base.

'One of these days soon, New Zealand is going to wake up to the fact that the golden goose, dairying, and our marketing of it is no longer in our control.”

Winston says many of NZ's best and most profitable businesses were now under foreign ownership, citing Fisher and Paykel Appliances, plus the country's largest media companies Fairfax and APN as examples.

Winston also takes a crack at the banking sector telling the audience that 95 per cent of the banking system is owned by Australian Banks.

'The result is billions of dollars in profits and dividends going to Australia every year. New Zealand is now just the branch office.

'I'm not anti-Australian. They are our closest neighbours, but you don't give all your money to your neighbour.”

Land sales are also a hot issue with Winston saying the facts surrounding the topic are alarming.

Over one million hectares of New Zealand land, or 'six times the size of Stewart Island”, has passed through the Overseas Investment Office into full or partial foreign control since National has been in office, says Winston.

Describing the OIO as 'a sick joke”, Winston says that on average, for the past three years it has approved a sale every three days.

'In simple terms, under National there is a culture of priority for foreigners over New Zealanders.

'Labour at least are now contrite. They have looked at the facts and changed their policy.”

He promises 'the rubber-stamp is going in the bin” should NZ First make it into Government.

Winston also touched on potential political partners, but like a good poker player, he held his cards very closely to his chest.

One thing is certain though – 'NZ First will never work with a raced based party”.

But as one member of the audience pointed out, that stance could place Peters in an interesting predicament.

National currently works with the Māori Party and Labour appears to be courting the Internet-Mana party.

Winston says his party is on a campaign to maximise their vote and will keep doing so until election day.

'We are not going to be answering any question, the circumstances around which none of us could possibly know.

'The one thing I can tell you is that we're not selling out any of our principles when the election is over. Never have and never will.”

But the quote of the meeting came from a member of the audience when recalling a chance meeting and a question he posed to Winston 40 years earlier in Howick.

'If we put all our politicians in the hole in Waihi, could they work together to get out of the hole?”

A laughing Winston smiled it off then went on to discuss mining.