KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister Helen Clark today spelt out Labour's credentials to Maoridom in a bid to fend off the stiff challenge it faces from the Maori Party at this year's election.
But she also acknowledged to Ratana followers, gathered at the 135th birthday celebrations of the movement's founder, that Labour faces a tough fight to recapture the four seats held by the Maori Party.
Political leaders today joined thousands of others gathered at Ratana Pa near Wanganui as part of three days of annual celebrations marking the birth of Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana.
Both Miss Clark and National leader John Key attended the event - which has become the unofficial start of the political year.
The Ratana movement formed a close relationship with Labour when the founder met Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage back in 1936.
In recent years the relationship has been tested by the row over the foreshore and seabed and the emergence of the Maori Party which captured four of the seven Maori seats at the last election.
But Miss Clark today stressed the long-term nature of the relationship and spelt out the party's achievements for Maori.
That included a big drop in the Maori unemployment rate, large gains in Maori early childhood participation, as well as a rise in Maori gaining high school and tertiary qualifications.
She said tribal organisations were in good heart and Maori assets, initially gained from Treaty of Waitangi settlements, had grown from an estimated $9 billion to $16 billion in the past six years.
The Government remained committed to Maori getting its "fair share" of economic development, she said.
Miss Clark, who led a 100-strong delegation including about 20 MPs, said the relationship between Labour and Ratana remained strong.
But she acknowledged politics was now a more "complex multi-party environment" than in the past - a veiled reference to the challenge Labour faces from the Maori Party.
Miss Clark later refused to comment on Labour's chances of winning back the Maori seats, but said it would remain "competitive". That extended to both the party and electorate votes, she told reporters.
"We are mounting very strong candidates in the Maori electorates."
Miss Clark's entry on to the marae followed that of Mr Key who pledged to Ratana leaders that National would revive what he described as a "stalled" treaty process.
Mr Key said those iwi which had settled their treaty claims were benefiting enormously from the assets they had received and the process needed a boost.
He said National would ensure the Waitangi Tribunal was better resourced to settle claims and would also consider bringing in high-profile Maori with sufficient "mana" to assist it with the settlement process.
Miss Clark denied the treaty process was stalled, pointing out two recent settlements in principle - Te Atiawa in Wellington and Tainui's claim to the Waikato River.
Mr Key said he was hoping to win more Maori support for National. That support, although small, was trending upwards at the end of last year, he said.
He hinted would be more Maori names on National's list when it was announced later in the year, as the party strived to increase to diversity of its membership.
Mr Key was welcomed on to the marae with seven of his MPs, including deputy leader Bill English and Maori spokespeople Georgina te Heuheu and Tau Henare. The atmosphere was friendly, although one Ratana elder spoke of Mr Key only having a "very slim chance" of becoming the next prime minister.
Speakers warned both party leaders to consider Maori when forming their policies.
Earlier Maori co-leader Tariana Turia accused Labour and National of politicising and "gatecrashing" the Ratana celebration.
But Mr Key said political leaders had been coming to Ratana for decades to sell their message.
- NZPA
