Focus on policy, PM tells delegates

Helen Clark

Prime Minister Helen Clark made it clear last night that she wants the Labour Party to shift its focus from the Exclusive Brethren and election spending to policy.

Speaking to the party conference in Rotorua, she took a swipe at conference organisers who have included a workshop on the Exclusive Brethren among more serious policy ones, dubbed "new thinking" on economic transformation, globalisation, and climate change.

"Take a wee tip from me," Helen Clark told delegates at the opening session. "Focus on the new thinking.

"The Exclusive Brethren's cover's been thrown and ... I only intend to mention them in mirth.

"I want our party to be addressing the issues which directly relate to the lives of New Zealanders."

The matter of $824,000 of unlawful spending last election was mentioned only indirectly, firstly by party president Mike Williams, who said he wanted to assure delegates that "at all times we played by the long-established rules and were given no timely warning of any change to those rules."

And Sir Howard Morrison - who sang with Dame Malvina Major - quipped that when he had asked where to send his invoice, Mr Williams had said "to [Auditor General] Kev Brady".

Helen Clark congratulated Rotorua for being what she described as a model in Maori and Pakeha relations. That was because of good leadership from both the local iwi and the city.

She referred to the Orewa speech of National leader Don Brash in early 2004 and "for a few months, our country literally turned on itself".

She had two standing ovations last night. Husband Peter Davis, on stage, received special applause when Helen Clark told delegates she was weeks away from her 25th wedding anniversary. "I could say 'how mainstream!"'

The Prime Minister's keynote speech is today.