Conference to get gee-up address from UK Labour supremo

10.00am

British deputy prime minister John Prescott is the last keynote speaker at this weekend's Labour Party conference in Auckland, which winds up at around lunchtime today.

The colourful politician has been nicknamed 'two jags' for his ministerial vehicles in the UK - then wags later dubbed him 'two jabs' for his fiery outburst against a demonstrator at a rally in the lead-up to the last British elections.

His background is strictly 'Labour to the roots'.

He was born in 1938, the son of a railway worker and a miner's daughter. His first job was in hotel catering at the age of 15. He later became a merchant seaman and then an official with the National Union of Seamen. He remains a member of that union's successor, the RMT.

He's been deputy prime minister in Tony Blair's government since 1997.

It's expected Mr Prescott will deliver a no-nonsense address to delegates today.

Meanwhile, as the conference continues, Labour has been emphasising the need to grow the economy in order to afford its spending on social services.

Prime Minister Helen Clark, enjoying a predictably rapturous reception from party faithful when she appeared yesterday, said the faster the government grew the economy and the nation's wealth, the sooner investment in health, education and housing could be afforded.

She later made no apologies for focusing on economics during her conference speech, saying "no one can accuse this Labour-Alliance government of trying to distribute wealth it hasn't got".

She singled out the burgeoning home-grown movie industry as worthy of special praise, for achievements such as Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.

A handful of anti-war protesters greeted conference delegates at Takapuna yesterday, but the Afghanistan conflict was nowhere near as influential at this gathering of the political left as it had been at the Alliance's annual conference last month.

One delegate did heckle Helen Clark during her speech, calling on Labour to stop the war and telling her "You're a disgrace", but he was quickly hushed by other party members and was escorted from the auditorium.

Helen Clark, who had not paused as the man began shouting, later spoke about the war in Afghanistan and the terror attacks in the United States.

"The United Nations has not questioned the United States' right to act in self-defence in Afghanistan against terrorism and those who support it - and nor has New Zealand questioned that right.

"None of us like the consequences of war for innocent people."

Few believed military action alone would rid the world of terrorism and "just as we are tough on terrorism, we also need to be tough on the causes of terrorism".

The attacks of September 11, which killed almost 4000 people in the US, the collapse of Air New Zealand and the plight of asylum seekers had made August and September this year the most challenging of her term in government.

"All required decisive action and all got it."

Labour delegates applauded as she outlined coalition government achievements in state housing, paid parental leave and the introduction of the Employment Relations Act. They also cheered the revival of trade apprenticeship schemes.

But there was also solid endorsement for her praise of deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton, leader of Labour's coalition partner the Alliance.

"I want to thank Jim Anderton and his team for the contribution they have made. It hasn't always been easy.

"MMP contributes to the representation of small parties in Parliament, but does not unfortunately make it easier for them in government."

She also paid tribute to the Greens, saying Labour had been able to work in good faith with Jeanette Fitzsimons and her team.

Later, she said her reference to the Greens was not an indication Labour was perhaps expecting to work more closely with them, with the Alliance still undergoing internal problems.

The Alliance was strongly committed to being in government and had helped make the Government the strong force it was.

She was not worried about apparent complacency at the conference, with delegates appearing not to be too divided on any issues.

The Labour party was generally very happy with the performance of its team in government.

"For now, the party's happy. If the party's happy, we're happy."

Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson told the conference Helen Clark had provided strong and respected leadership for New Zealand, and the union movement would be working to ensure that continued.