New Zealand First president Dail Jones has held off a challenge from MP Barbara Stewart to retain his position following a vote at the party's conference in Auckland today.
Mrs Stewart had signalled her intention to challenge for the position after Mr Jones made comments about wanting to attract new
blood before the 2011 election, when party leader Winston Peters will be 66.
Mr Jones -- a former National and NZ First MP -- this week said Mr Peters and the other sitting MPs had his support but the party needed to ready itself for the future.
"Just a comment, Winston and I are the same age and time catches up on you," he said.
"You've got to be considering, you must be looking at the future otherwise you might be caught short."
Mr Jones was elected president last November after sitting MP Doug Woolerton stepped down two months earlier in protest at NZ First changing its position of abstaining rather than supporting a government.
The two day conference, which is mainly closed to the media, was to include discussions about fighting crime and violence in society, and how to deal with the election spending report.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters speaks tomorrow and is expected to confirm he will lead the party at the next election.
- NZPA
