I'll make Labour stronger - Little

Labour's new president, Andrew Little, says he will focus on rebuilding the party and its grassroots membership after last year's election defeat.

Mr Little, secretary of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, was elected unopposed to the position yesterday after the incumbent, Mike Williams, stood aside.

"I see my time in the role as focusing on the internal leadership issues, addressing the structural and organisational issues that are there," Mr Little said.

Some supporters and activists had told him they enjoyed being part of the Labour Party, but they felt like the only contact they had was when they were asked for money, he said.

Ways had to be found to create wider engagement with the membership.

Labour leader Phil Goff said he had known Mr Little for years and he was a man of great ability, energy and integrity.

"We have got a big job ahead of us, rebuilding the Labour Party, strengthening it organisationally, reconnecting it with the electorate."

Mr Williams resigned as president late last year after several controversies.

He offered his resignation over the handling of donations to Labour from Monaco-based billionaire Owen Glenn.

He also ran into strife in the election campaign when he made a late and failed bid to associate National Party leader John Key with a fraudulent tax-dodge scam in the 1980s.

Mr Williams became Labour president in 2000 after a long involvement in the party, including as campaign manager.

Mr Goff praised Mr Williams.

"He served an unprecedented eight years as party president. He saw Labour re-elected to three terms in government. He worked exceptionally hard on behalf of the Labour Party and any blips that happened during the campaign I think we can now leave behind us."

Mr Little said Labour had 13 new MPs and the wider party was in good shape.

He said he was still intending to run as an MP in 2011, but those who talked up his prospects as a future leader of the party were a bit ahead of themselves.

"They probably don't know much about politics. There are so many variables in any position in politics and the political fabric that makes up New Zealand. I don't have any expectations about that."

He was confident of still being able to run the union effectively and also work with a National Government, while president of Labour.

- NZPA