Farrer MP David Farley has criticised Labor’s decision to more than halve the number of permanent skilled migration places allocated to regional Australia, amid apparent differences between the One Nation MP and his party over migration policy.

One Nation member and former Nationals MP George Christensen last month told Mr Farley to “shut up” about immigration, accusing him of repeatedly contradicting the party’s position.

But Mr Farley is clearly not taking the advice. He released a media statement last week highlighting what he says is the importance of migration to regional Australia and warning that Labor’s changes risk hurting industries that rely on migrant workers.

“Three weeks after Farrer voted, the federal Labor government imploded regional migration by more than half,” Mr Farley said.

“Within the federal budget, the regional skilled visa program was decreased from around 33,000 places to 14,110.

“The total intake stayed at exactly 185,000, meaning the same number of people are still coming into Australia. But the majority are being steered away from the regions and into the urban metroplex.”

Mr Farley argued regional industries would continue to need access to migrant workers.

“Horticultural production, table grape production and half the citrus farms in Australia rely on Pacific workers to get the fruit off the trees and into the packing houses,” he said.

“Meat processing and packing plants are dependent upon PALM visa programs, as is aged and health care industries.”