Labour delegates converge on Whanganui for conference weekend

Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Prime Minister Jacinda Arden with members of the Labour Party caucus will be in Whanganui this weekend. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Whanganui is poised to host its first-ever Labour Party conference with an estimated economic benefit to the district of $500,000.

More than 600 delegates and associates will arrive in town this weekend.

Newly selected Whanganui Labour candidate Steph Lewis said she looked forward to welcoming the delegation to "New Zealand's most beautiful city".

"Whanganui will become the smallest city to ever host a Labour Party conference," Lewis said.

"Conferences have always been held in the larger cities and this is a conscious effort by Labour to acknowledge regional New Zealand."

Whanganui was selected over Rotorua after the final two contenders made their pitch at last year's conference in Dunedin.

Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall, who travelled to Dunedin to support Whanganui's bid last year, said it would be a good boost for Whanganui beyond the immediate economic benefits it would bring.

"Almost the entire Cabinet will be here and it reflects the state of the nation that a regional city is hosting the conference," McDouall said.

"The previous government put a lot of money into the main cities and we had to bide our time.

"Whanganui is a good indicator of how the country is doing and I'm pleased that so many government ministers will be here to see it first hand."

Mayor Hamish McDouall says government ministers will see that Whanganui is a good indicator of how the country is doing. Photo / Lewis Gardner

McDouall will speak at the opening of the conference and said he would attend some functions during the weekend.

Whanganui accommodation is at a premium this week, as places have been booked well in advance.

The Avenue Kingsgate Hotel is fully booked and Riverview Motel owner Mark Lithgow said his accommodation was at capacity.

"We were fully booked for this weekend two months ago," Lithgow said.

"I think most places in Whanganui have been booked up for a while."

Whanganui i-Site staff said they were receiving some late enquiries and had been directing them to campgrounds.

Jonathan Sykes, Whanganui & Partners strategic lead for brand, events & i-Site, said the conference was a great opportunity to show off the city.

"We have acted as the facilitator for the conference and it will be a fantastic boost for Whanganui," Sykes said.

"We are expecting around 700 people but I have heard there has been a late run on registering so I hope there will be B&B accommodation available for those people."

The delegates will gather for a dinner at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre, with local catering and entertainment provided.