Luxon says NZ First transgender bathrooms policy 'on another planet'

National leader Christopher Luxon has rejected a New Zealand First policy on transgender people, bathrooms and sport, saying it's "on another planet".

Yesterday, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters announced his party would, if part of the next government, pass law requiring new public organisations with public toilets to provide "clearly demarcated" unisex and single-sex bathrooms.

The party also wanted a law change to require current public toilets to not allow anyone access "which are designed for the opposite sex use".

Peters said he also wanted a law that prevented sporting bodies from public funding when they did not have an "exclusive biological female category, where ordinarily appropriate".

He said the "entire debate" was about finding the balance between "fair inclusion and fairness for all".

"This is not about being ‘anti anyone’ or ‘anti anything’."

But today, Luxon said there was no need for laws specifying which toilets people could use.

"Bathrooms is not a big topic for this election. What this country is focused on is who are the best economic managers, who's going to reduce the cost of living. When I'm out and about across New Zealand, bathrooms is not going to be a big election issue."

He said it "may well be" a big issue for Peters.

"You are on another planet if you want to have a conversation about bathrooms and make that an election issue.

"What New Zealanders are really talking about is actually - after yesterday - with a third of New Zealanders about to re-fix their mortgages between now and Christmas, is how they find an extra $700 a fortnight. What they're talking about is why crime is out of control, what they're talking about is how we deliver better health and education.

"They're not talking about bathrooms."

Asked what his personal view on the issue was, Luxon said there were "a lot of unisex bathrooms around".

"This is not an issue."

In response, Peters told 1News people were thankful "someone is making a stand for women and young girls in our country.

"Where safety is concerned, it's the principal job of government."

Asked if that meant he did not want transgender women in women's bathrooms, Peters said "somebody that's [sic] got a male appendage should not be in a women's bathroom or girls' bathroom".

He said he was not anti-transgender.

"People and women in particular should be safe and girls should feel safe."

Regarding Luxon's comments the policy was on another planet, Peters said New Zealand First was the "only ones that are grounded in this campaign".

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said in her view the New Zealand First policy told takatāpui and transgender people "that they don't matter and there's no room for them to be considered and respected and given dignity in Aotearoa".

"I think that's just abhorrent and it's a really divisive way of politicking."

Ngarewa-Packer said the concept of gender as a binary was a mostly Western idea and not held traditionally by Māori nor most other indigenous cultures.

"We did not see this siloed approach of isolating, ostracising.

"We absolutely celebrate and emphasise the fact that we must be authentically ourselves, however that comes."

Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said the Māori language was non-binary, giving the example of non-gendered pronouns.

Green co-leader Marama Davidson said transgender people were taonga - treasures.

"It's really important to show love and solidarity for trans and rainbow communities who continue to be on the end of these hateful narratives, and we'll always stand up with them."

She said the New Zealand First policy was "cheap and nasty", and it was harmful and "dehumanising" to transgender people to debate their existence.