Andrew Little survives at Ratana but Peters steals show

Little played it safe, steering clear of an overly political speech and focusing on Labour's relationship with Ratana. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Andrew Little has survived his first address to Maori at Ratana but was well and truly upstaged by NZ First leader Winston Peters when it came to wooing the nannies.

Beforehand, Mr Little admitted to having butterflies in his stomach given the historic relationship between Labour and the Church followers.

He was also the third Labour leader in as many years and the Church speakers had issued a warning that Labour had to up its game after the faith Maori placed in it in last year's election.

It may have helped that none of his predecessors - David Cunliffe, David Shearer and Phil Goff - attended this year. But the pressure went up when he discovered he'd also have to give his address in front of National MPs.

Usually the Government parties and Opposition are welcomed on to Ratana separately, but this year delays prompted the organisers to opt for a joint powhiri.

Mr Little managed to get through his speech without looking at his notes. He even managed to get in a few jokes, saying of the prophet Ratana that he was "80 years ahead of Gareth Morgan. And he didn't have a book to sell".

However, he didn't get many laughs, possibly because Dr Morgan was on the paepae alongside the Ratana elders, having been welcomed on yesterday.

Beyond that Mr Little played it safe, steering clear of an overly political speech and focusing on Labour's relationship with Ratana.

He did fare better than the absent Prime Minister John Key, who was in Davos and subjected to pot shots while he lacked the means to respond.

Greens co-leader Metiria Turei started it, suggesting Mr Key was a prime example of the "ignorant Pakeha" Gareth Morgan had berated the day before.

Mr Little also couldn't resist a dig, saying it was important the Prime Minister represented the country internationally but adding: "I was interested to read today that he's a champion of tackling climate change.

"That will be news to many New Zealanders. So he can forge himself a reputation in other parts of the world that he doesn't have here."

But on the marae, Mr Little was followed by Mr Peters who had them rolling on the paepae with his first quip that politicians were "fast on the lip and slow on the hip".

They were still laughing when he told them their koha "was in the email. We're a modern party".

Even Deputy Prime Minister Bill English managed to get more laughs than Mr Little with a pun on prophet and profit and a joke about Mr Peters offering to stop using his Super GoldCard to help the Government coffers.

Afterwards Ratana chairman Waka Palmer said he was reasonably impressed with Mr Little on his first outing. However, "I guess this is like an annual review. We make up our minds how he's going each year and if we're not happy at least we can say something about it."

The nannies said afterwards that they thought Mr Little was a bit boring but gave him leeway as a first-timer.

They were far more enamoured with Mr Peters' pitch. So the nannies will do their own annual review next year. Be warned, Mr Little.