New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at the New Zealand First Convention. Photo / Richard Robinson
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at the New Zealand First Convention. Photo / Richard Robinson
KEY POINTS:
New Zealand First supporters have been warned to back the party or face "betrayal" from Labour or National after the next election.
Followers of party leader Winston Peters are meeting for their annual conference in Auckland today, one day after NZ First celebrated the 15th year of itsformation.
However a shadow has been cast over proceedings by the death of Mr Peters' mother - Joan.
Mrs Peters, who was in her late 90s, died yesterday morning.
Her death could stop Mr Peters - one of 11 brothers and sisters - from attending the conference.
Today, party delegates were greeted with written messages from Mr Peters urging them to celebrate NZ First's achievements in office.
"NZ First was formed because the two old FPP parties had betrayed their values and principles, and the people who supported them," he said.
Mr Peters became a minister outside of Cabinet as part of a deal to support the Labour government.
Today, he accused other parties of sacrificing their values in order to win popular opinion.
Only NZ First could stand firm against international economic troubles, "drug fuelled gangs" and the sale of New Zealand-owned assets, Mr Peters said.
"I invite you all to join with us in election year as we take the fight to the two old parties. They have not learned and they have not changed," he said.
He also kept up with his running battle with the news media saying they attacked NZ First because it stood true to it values.
He and his supporters constantly accuse the news media of misreporting or outright lies in an effort to undermine NZ First.
Most recently Mr Peter strongly denied his party received a donation from Owen Glenn, while The New Zealand Herald published emails suggesting he had.
Continuing questions about this issue have angered Mr Peters and it is bound to come up over the two-day conference.
On Sunday afternoon, Mr Peters winds up the conference with a speech.
Going on past performance this will involve much tub-thumping designed to whip up his supporters ahead of this year's election.
