Regions need 'strong voices' (+ video)

Free doctor visits for older people, cold houses and the looming job crisis were all part of a charismatic speech given by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters in Rotorua.

Mr Peters was led into a packed room at the Copthorne Hotel yesterday by the daughter of Rotorua list MP Fletcher Tabuteau playing the bagpipes, before addressing the crowd.

The audience also heard from Mr Tabuteau and Tauranga MP Clayton Mitchell.

"I've just come down from the Far North and it's a bit of a change and I've got no pigeons on me," Mr Peters joked, making reference to a Ngapuhi leader under investigation for alleged kereru smuggling.

"If ever the provinces need strong voices, it's now," he said.

"This is a Government that refuses to face serious problems. Instead of working to fix things they employ more media minders and spin doctors to cover the problems with a substance that comes from a paddock and is good for the garden."

Mr Peters said his party wanted to introduce a community wage.

"Throughout New Zealand there is work to be done - leaders in all regions know that, including here in Rotorua where the unemployment figures, such as they are, are second only to Northland," he said.

"New Zealand First has had a plan for 20 years to provide useful work - it's called a community wage. It is based on a combination of the unemployment benefit and the minimum wage and amounts to a subsidy for paid work in any region.

"In many cases there might not be fulltime jobs available but we are sure local community leaders could each name projects that would be started if the money was made available.

"Our approach means an individual or a group could be working for a number of employers doing specific jobs. As long as conditions of work are fair to both parties it could help resolve a growing problem."

Mr Peters also spoke about the "stagnant" economy and how the NZ First bill for three free doctor visits for over-65-year-olds had been drawn from the Parliament ballot.

He asked members to "dig deep" and financially support the party for the next election: "Our message to provincial New Zealand is, 'Wake up, stop being taken advantage of. If you're producing the greatest wealth for this country, how come you're not seeing it'?"