Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has refused to back down on plans to fast-track visas for white farmers facing persecution in South Africa.

In an interview with 2GB today, Mr Dutton brushed aside criticism for his plan saying he is blind to somebody’s skin colour and the plan is based on the best interests of the nation.

“I’m bringing people to our country solely based on what is in our national interest, what’s in our national security interest and I want people who can settle here. I don’t want people coming here as criminals. If they commit crimes here they are out,” he said.

“We bring people in because they want to work, they want to start a new life. They want to educate their kids. They are the sorts of migrants who come here.”

Mr Dutton said he had been inundated with messages of support and told of particular cases of white South African farmers in need of help.

“I’m completely blind as to somebody’s skin colour. It makes no difference to me. It concerns me that people are being persecuted at the moment. That’s the reality,” he said.

“The number of people dying and being savagely attacked in South Africa is a reality.”

Mr Dutton caused widespread controversy and diplomatic tensions after arguing last week the "persecuted" farmers needed help from a "civilised country" like Australia.

He wants the farmers fast-tracked through Australia's refugee program.

Greens senator Nick McKim labelled the minister a racist and fascist, arguing the Liberal Party was still wedded to the White Australia policy.

The Home Affairs Minister insists he is unperturbed by "mean cartoons" and negative media coverage.

"They don't realise how completely dead they are to me," he said. "We just get on with making decisions that we need to."

Mr Dutton likened the latest backlash to reaction over his comments about a supposed African gang crisis in Melbourne over summer.

"Stick to the facts and you're on safe grounds so all of the criticism over the last week has meant nothing to me," he said.

Meanwhile, one of his coalition colleagues is warning there could be food shortages if white South African farmers are allowed to migrate to Australia.

"The black South African farmers certainly have not proved themselves," Nationals MP Andrew Broad told ABC radio.

"They need the skill set of the white South African farmers if they're going to have any chance of feeding the population that they've got."

Mr Broad, who travelled to the country several years ago, urged other MPs to visit and see for themselves.

"We'd be better to be working with the South African government to make them value those white farmers, rather than trying to help them flee," he said.