Labour's election year conference starts - high hopes for the future...

The Labour Party conference has opened in Wellington with the party's president Moira Coatsworth promising bold policies to turn around Labour's fortunes.

In notes for a speech to party faithful at Wellington's town hall, Ms Coatsworth said Labour would campaign on the issues that worried New Zealanders, including the rising cost of living, asset sales, giving children the best start in life and decent jobs.

"Our polls are rising. We need to turn out 2000 more party votes per electorate and we are determined."

Around 500 party delegates are in Wellington for the conference which comes hard on the heels of an unpopular budget which cut KiwiSaver and Working for Families entitlements from some families and has been panned for the lack of impetus behind plans for economic growth.

Ms Coatsworth said the dramatic rise in the cost of living was plunging many homes into hardship.

"And we see nothing being done about it. The reality is that the answer to the growing crisis of hardship and inequality is the same as it was 80 years ago: good, decent jobs, warm and affordable housing, the opportunity to train and learn and get new skills – the skills of a modern, healthy, wealthy nation.

Ms Coatsworth stressed the environment as one of the major policy areas to address and reversing inequality as the other.

"The current government's policies now continue to increase inequality at an alarming rate. Billions of dollars in tax cuts are going to the rich, while ordinary families struggle to feed their children healthy food or take them to a doctor at night or in the weekend. Many families have gone hungry as they choose between paying the school fees, buying the uniforms or putting kai on the table."

New Zealand needed a coherent plan for economic recovery.

"As well as the environment, the recession, the Christchurch earthquakes, spiralling youth unemployment, the cost of living and our debt burden all require bold responses.

"Labour understands we have a huge opportunity to use our reputation, our skills and our technology to transform our economy. We know that this economy includes exports and high value production. It is a knowledge economy. It includes rebuilding savings, reducing debt and maintaining our independence as a nation. It includes living the living standards of all New Zealanders and it means doing this in ways that really are clean and green."



- Acknowledgements: Stuff.co.nz

NZ Greens Party's 2008 Annual Confernce

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Green Party conference:

Deal with the Maori Party; a challenge for Fonterra; emissions trading; a lone protestor - day one at the Greens' conference
31 May 2008

The Green Party is holding its annual conference this weekend, on the Auckland University campus.

One of the party's co-leaders says deals could be struck between the Greens and the Maori Party when it comes to gathering support this election. Jeanette Fitzsimons says last election an accommodation was worked out where the Maori Party encouraged their supporters to give their party votes to the Greens. She says voters in the Maori seats will be able to work it out for themselves, but when you look at the numbers a party vote for the Maori Party won't increase its representation.

Ms Fitzsimons also urged Green Party supporters not to repeat the mistakes of 2005, telling them they should maximise the party vote. She says in 2005 voters who were scared of National under Don Brash thought they had to choose between their heart and their head in keeping him out. She says the result was National still almost made it in and voters were left with an arrangement that saw New Zealand First and United Future with cabinet posts. Ms Fitzsimons says that must not happen again.

The party also expressed the hope it would get what it is after from the Government's proposed emissions trading scheme. Support for the legislation is delicately poised, with the Greens demanding movement on agriculture and a reversal on the delayed introduction of transport if they are to support it. Ms Fitzsimons says negotiations with Labour are going well, and she appears confident the Greens will get concessions. She says when you hold the votes that will determine if the ETS passes or fails the chances of getting major change are quite realistic.

It was not been all organic wine and roses for the Green Party though. Delegates were greeted by a lone protester condemning the Party for supporting the Government's apology to Vietnam Veterans. He handed out pamphlets headed "why apologise to war criminals?"

Nelson based former MP Mike Ward proved to be a no-show for the event. He hit the headlines earlier this month when he refused to step aside from the Party's list, so co-leader Russel Norman could replace MP Nandor Tanczos in Parliament.

The Green Party conference continues tomorrow.