Little adamant Goff right man to win next election

Labour Party president Andrew Little last night sought to quell speculation about Phil Goff's longevity as leader, saying he was the only MP who could lead the party into the next election.

Mr Little sent a clear message to the party rank-and-file not to be distracted by opponents' attempts to destabilise Labour by focusing on Mr Goff's poor poll ratings compared with Prime Minister John Key's.

"The reality is there is only one MP in our caucus who can provide the leadership to take us to victory, and that is Phil Goff," he told the party's conference in Rotorua.

The message to persevere with Mr Goff will have considerable influence on the party's membership, including the unions - Mr Little is general secretary of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union.

Mr Little used his speech to say Labour got it wrong in its treatment of Maori over the foreshore and seabed, and should acknowledge "that in all of the political calculus undertaken over the foreshore and seabed issue, depriving Maori of the right to test their claim in court was wrong".

And he said Labour got some economic priorities wrong, giving insufficient attention to measures that would sustain productive businesses and give long-term security.

Progressives leader Jim Anderton, attending his his first Labour conference since the 1980s, quipped: "Did anything happen while I was away?"