National Party leader Christopher Luxon confident election walkabouts will continue as Deputy PM questions politicians' safety

National Party leader Christopher Luxon says he feels safe when he's out in public and doesn't think the election walkabouts will be scrapped.

It comes as Labour considers axing its public walkabouts during next year's election, due to politicians being the target of abuse and threats.  

It's been revealed Grant Robertson required diplomatic security, usually only reserved for the Prime Minister, during a recent public meeting in Northland. 

Luxon told AM on Wednesday the walkabouts are a special feature of New Zealand politics. 

"I feel as I move around the country fairly safe. I think it's really important, it's a real special feature of New Zealand politics that our MPs are very accessible to the public," he told AM fill-in host Amanda Gillies. 

"We don't want it to go the way of the US where there's deep division. I think we should be able to be in a room and have different points of view but not take it so personally." 

Robertson recently took the unusual step of taking the Prime Minister's security detail - the DPS - with him to an event in Northland where protestors prepared with lamingtons disrupted his meetings. They followed the Deputy Prime Minister to a hotel and even blockaded the airport.

Newshub understands Robertson needed to be driven onto the tarmac and board his flight directly from there.

Luxon said he could only recall one time when demonstrators blocked him from leaving an event, which was Palmerston North. 

He and other National Party members and people from the Palmerston North Chinese community were trapped in a bridge club for an hour by a group of between 50 and 60 protesters until police arrived, Luxon said. The demonstrators were protesting against the closure of the Marsden Point oil refinery. 

Luxon said it's important for MPs to get out and meet with the public. 

"Personally, I feel safe. I personally think we want to maintain civility in politics in New Zealand," he told AM.

"Once division comes, it's very hard to zip that back up again.

"So for me, I think it's an important aspect to get out and meet with the public."  

National campaign chair Chris Bishop said on Tuesday the party wasn't considering scrapping the walkabouts. 

"[They're] opportunities for the public to interact with National MPs and other candidates. We certainly have no intention to make any change."

Watch the full interview with Christopher Luxon above.