KEY POINTS:
National leader John Key has changed his mind and will not utilise his predecessor's Orewa stamping ground.
But he plans to continue Don Brash's tradition of giving an agenda-setting annual speech in late January, making his first one in Christchurch.
On attaining the leadership, Mr Key initially planned to head to Orewa too but has since had a change of heart.
He said yesterday "logistics", including the fact that were issues around accommodating the media at the Orewa Rotary Club venue, were part of the reason.
"Arguably it's [also] partly an issue of branding, we decided that we wanted to pick our own platform."
He said he did not believe the "Orewa" brand had become a negative one "but I'm my own man and I thought it was important to have my own brand".
However, Mr Key has made a point of distancing himself from the Orewa speeches, particularly those focused on race relations and welfare.
In his valedictory speech on Tuesday, Dr Brash said he was pleased he had "managed to convert the town of Orewa from a place to a date - so that people no longer talk about north of Orewa or south of Orewa, but about pre-Orewa and post-Orewa".
He was sorry his race relations speech had been generally misunderstood but did not resile from it, believing it had advanced discussion on the matter.
Christchurch-born Mr Key is hoping to give his speech at Burnside where he grew up, possibly at the local rugby club.
"Returning to his roots" was part of the attraction but he had yet to decide whether that would become an annual event.
Mr Key will today deliver a speech in Christchurch focusing on returning National to its roots, drawing another line between his leadership and Dr Brash's.
He is expected to argue National has operated most successfully when it has been a centrist, tolerant and inclusive party, citing former party leaders such as Sir Keith Holyoake.
Mr Key refused to comment on a report that he had offered a top diplomatic post to Dr Brash in exchange for leaving Parliament or accepting a backbench role.
"But what I would say is that he's a person of remarkable talents and, in my view, can make a great contribution going forward. I think the Labour Party should use him in roles, just the same way they used Jim Bolger."
Meanwhile, Labour is believed to have resolved to forgo any heavy attacks on Mr Key until early next year, believing the media will give him a honeymoon period in his first months.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is expected to play a role when the artillery is lined up.
