KEY POINTS:
Winston Peters will continue to lead New Zealand First in the near future, but is yet to commit to fighting the 2011 election, party president George Groombridge says.
NZ First will hold a day-long conference in Auckland next month to consider its future, after it was turfed out of Parliament at the election.
Mr Groombridge said Mr Peters had indicated he would attend the session as leader and was prepared to continue in that role for now.
However, he had not told party officials of his plans for the 2011 election.
"He has a very valuable and vital role still to play in our party," he told NZPA.
"He is the patriarch of New Zealand First and as long as he is around we will be needing his expertise and drive."
He believed the party could survive if Mr Peters decided to stand down.
Deputy leader Peter Brown said several supporters had told him they thought Mr Peters should resign, but he believed the party would suffer if he did.
He believed NZ First could successfully return to Parliament in 2011, but it would take some major changes.
The party's funding and Mr Peters' actions would both need to be more transparent.
"I personally think he's a great guy and he's got a lot of talent, but we can't even give the perception that we are a one-man band.
"In reality we weren't, but he would go off on a tangent and we wouldn't know a thing about it, ie the Spencer Trust, and that's not acceptable."
The party also needed more money, better organisation, clearer messages and needed to be more media friendly if it was to survive.
He said he was yet to make a decision on whether he would contest the 2011 election.
Mr Peters, who has kept a low profile since the election, could not be immediately contacted today.
The closed conference will be held on February 14.
- NZPA
