All smiles after Alliance council meeting

By AUDREY YOUNG political reporter

Alliance leader Jim Anderton declared his confidence in Matt McCarten yesterday after he sparked a damaging feud a month ago by declaring no confidence in the party president.

The public declaration came at the end of a meeting of the party's ruling council, on which Mr McCarten clearly showed he has a majority.

Mr Anderton and Mr McCarten will meet this week and Alliance MPs are expected to reinstate their tithes to a party-controlled account within a fortnight.

The pair will also discuss the party membership records and mailing lists, which Mr McCarten removed from Parliament the day after Mr Anderton sought his resignation.

Mr Anderton has since been refused a copy of the records but his access to them will now almost certainly be reinstated.

The pair's relationship has been strained over the Alliance's poor profile in the coalition Government. It reached breaking point when Mr McCarten backed party leftists intent on challenging the caucus support for the US-led war in Afghanistan.

Intense backroom negotiations took place yesterday during the sometimes-heated meeting at the Nga Whare Waatea Marae in Mangere.

The council stopped short of demanding that the MPs reinstate their tithes, although Mr McCarten's faction of 20 on the 30-strong panel had the numbers to do so.


MPs in Mr McCarten's camp are Laila Harre, Liz Gordon and Willie Jackson.

MPs in Mr Anderton's camp are Sandra Lee, Matt Robson, John Wright, Grant Gillon, Phillida Bunkle and Kevin Campbell.

Asked if he had confidence in Mr McCarten, Mr Anderton said: "Yes. This weekend has shown that we are able to work through all of the issues that I had concerns about ... that Matt and I are able and willing to engage in doing what the council and membership has asked.

"I've got every confidence that that can work as well as it always and ever has.

"This weekend has cleared the way for that relationship to be effective and productive."

Mr McCarten said he always believed the party's problems would be resolved. "It's business as usual."


The council also received a review of the caucus war position conducted by Mr Robson, who is also Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control.

The party conference commissioned it a month ago in response to a motion demanding withdrawal of the caucus support for New Zealand SAS involvement in the US-led military action in Afghanistan.

Mr Robson believes the SAS offer is not in conflict with Alliance policy.

He recommended ongoing monitoring of the party's position against such factors as compliance with international law, humanitarian concerns and human rights issues.

He will add the council's views to the report and present it to the caucus.