Peters back for 2011

Winston Peters says many Maori have died fighting under the New Zealand flag. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Winston Peters emerged from hibernation to announce he will lead his party, NZ First, into the 2011 election.

The announcement was made at the party's annual general meeting held at Waikato Stadium yesterday and attended by 170 delegates.

NZ First lost all its representation in Parliament after securing only 4.1 per cent of the party vote in the 2008 general election. Peters had been beleaguered by questions about the party's funding.

Yesterday afternoon, Peters addressed a closed-door meeting before telling a press conference he believed NZ First could again rise to occupy a position of power.

"I have been endorsed again as leader, and I'm setting out to do just that in 2011," he said.

Without Parliamentary representation, the party does not qualify for taxpayer funding for administration staff and has struggled to maintain a public profile.