KEY POINTS:
Trade Minister Phil Goff publicly discussed the prospect of a Labour defeat at the next election, it has been reported.
The National Business Review website said that in an interview to be aired on Alt TV tonight, Mr Goff would talk about the possibility of defeat and him potentially succeeding Prime Minister Helen Clark.
NBR quoted Mr Goff saying in the interview he would look at the leadership in the event of an election loss, "If I felt that I was the best one (candidate) in that position and Helen has stood aside voluntarily."
Mr Goff said he did not know whether he would be the best candidate and he was not being defeatist about the election.
When pressed in the interview, the NBR reported Mr Goff said: "Sure there's a prospect of defeat."
With Labour well behind in the polls, Mr Goff's comment is a statement of the obvious.
However, it unusual for an experienced politician to acknowledge even the glimmer of defeat.
Today, Mr Goff told journalists he had not seen the story and was unwilling to comment.
Pressed by journalists over his comments Mr Goff said Labour was behind in the polls.
"We start in the underdog position. People think there is ... time for a change. It happens after several terms," Mr Goff said.
He said Labour could still win the election once people started focusing on what a change in government would mean for policies like KiwiSaver and Working for Families.
"I am confident Labour is in with a very good chance to win," Mr Goff said.
"There is always the prospect of any party losing an election, of course that is what an election is about."
Mr Goff said there was no question over the leadership of Helen Clark who had the "100 per cent support" of him and all of caucus.
"The question of leadership will take place at the point in the future when Helen Clark feels that she is going to move on to something else.
"That point has not arisen. We are not looking at losing the election. We are looking at fighting through to the election with a good chance of winning that election."
Asked if he regretted raising the prospect of defeat, Mr Goff said he was stating the obvious - that elections were won and lost.
"We are looking at winning."
Mr Goff said he had not thought about what would happen when Helen Clark stood down.
Helen Clark said she was not aware of the interview and she knew nothing of it.
Asked if she agreed there was a prospect of defeat, Helen Clark said the year was "full of challenges" such as the economy, food prices, oil prices, drought "and a whole lot of heavy water out there".
- NZPA
