Peters sallies forth for second time

Winston Peters giving his party conference address yesterday. Picture / Alan Gibson

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters today leaves on his second overseas foray as Foreign Minister, to the Commonwealth summit in Malta, after gaining overwhelming endorsement from his party conference for backing Labour.

But he avoided the issue of his acceptance of the ministerial post, which was not strictly necessary to the confidence and supply agreement, in a speech to the annual conference in Rotorua.

There was barely a hint of dissent from the conference floor about the acceptance of the post, which led to the resignation of former president Doug Woolerton.

A party member from New Plymouth had a special T-shirt made for the occasion - "No baubles - yeah, right" - but said it had only been a joke and that even Mr Peters had been amused by it.

The issue on which Mr Peters could have faced severe criticism - the party's election campaign - was also largely avoided. Mr Peters said the "blame game" would only lead to short-term recriminations with no long-term benefit.

"If we wallow in the past we risk being subsumed by it."

There is dissatisfaction within the caucus and wider party at the way Mr Peters ran the campaign, which was expressed by several speakers from the floor before he spoke.

Mr Peters told members the post-election decision had been made in the interests of stability, with both Labour and National saying they could get 57 votes.

"We made a judgment call based on the circumstances that were unfolding around us. It was a unique situation that required a unique response."

Attacks on the news media are a hallmark of most Peters' speeches but he went further than usual yesterday, accusing the Herald of treason.

He is bitter at the way his first foray, to Apec in Korea, had been portrayed in New Zealand.

He said he would be writing to the United States to deny a Herald report stating that he had tried to make a pitch for closer bilateral relations when he had merely been exchanging pleasantries at a photo opportunity.

MP Ron Mark extended the attack on the news media in a policy debate on drugs, suggesting that drugs might have been behind what he perceived to be poor coverage of his party in the election.

Mr Peters also compared New Zealand First to New Zealand's bid to host the Rugby World Cup: the third favourite in a three-horse race with a dedicated team who worked tirelessly towards an objective.

Mr Peters yesterday ruled out retiring at the next election.

"Those who think I'm going to retire, I've got news for you and it's all bad."

Former MP Dail Jones was elected party president, beating another former MP, Brent Catchpole.

Rotorua District Councillor Charles Sturt (not the former head of the Serious Fraud Office) was elected vice-president.