Waitakere, with four nominations for the Party's candidacy, will hold a selection meeting on Saturday, 20 March.

"These are all battleground seats for Labour were we believe we can win back the confidence of our supporters and regain the seats in 2011, and early selection will allow us to get our organisation and campaigning in place straight away" said Andrew Little.

"These nominations show we have an excellent talent pool to draw from and will help set the Party up well for a hard campaign in 2011 and an excellent Parliamentary team under Phil Goff."

The Party will hold another round of selections for 35 electorates in June and July 2010 and it plans to have all remaining electorate candidates for 2011 selected by the end of the year.

Contact: Party President Andrew Little 0275 513467

We're asking people to register by 20 December so the organisers have a clear idea of numbers for catering. Costs are:

$100 - unwaged
$130 - waged
$160 - Solidarity Fund

For more information download the programme or send an email to summerschool@younglabour.org.nz

But wait, there's still more.Each case of 12 bottles will be delivered right to your door as part of the purchase price. 

So what do I pay for such a great deal I hear you say? Well, in the shops you could expect to pay over $300 a case for such a wine. But as a special Labour Party exclusive deal we can offer all this for only $192 per case (that works out at only $16 a bottle)! 

To get your hands on a case (or preferable many cases) of the "RED White Wine" - Limited Edition, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009, simply fill out the attached order form and return to the address/email indicated (but do it now as this wine will be sold out very soon). 

Please note that Lawson's Dry Hills will begin delivering orders in late November and orders will take approximately 5 working days to be delivered from when your order is received.

You can download an order form here [PDF link].

On Saturday 24th October, at 2.00pm the East Coast Bays LEC are making the "offer of a lifetime" - the opportunity to secure your very own ride on the bio-fuelled boat Earthrace. Earthrace is an amazing powerboat that holds the record for a powerboat to circumnavigate the globe (60 days, 23 hours, 49 minutes), which was completed in June 2008. She now has a new mission;To work with Sea Shepherd on marine conservation. Earthrace is one of the most amazing vessels ever built.  She is a wavepiercer, and can submarine up to 7m (23ft) underwater. She can travel over 13,000 nautical miles (over half way around the planet) on one tank of fuel....And she runs 100% biodiesel made from sustainable sources. Tickets are just $100.00 and available from Viv Goldsmith 09 442-1572 or 021 12279 or email goldsmith@vodafone.co.nz. Be in quick, there are only eight places left.

Ohariu Labour presents their "End of Winter Dinner and Auction" - their major fundraiser for the year - at 7.00pm on Thursday 29 October 2009. Once again it is going to take the form of a delicious Indian dinner, being held at the home of Ash Basin, the Country Club, Ohariu Valley Road. The guest speaker is Parliament's newest MP, David Shearer, fresh from a stunning by-election win in Mt Albert having only a few months earlier returned from his very important role with the UN in Iraq.  he LEC also hope to launch the first of their new branch networks at this event, and will also hear an update from their own MP, Labour's Climate Change Spokesperson, Charles Chauvel. ickets are $75 per person, and include the event, the meal, and a welcome drink. Tickets are already selling fast so please be sure to contact David Hollander by phoning 021 892 882 to buy yours.

Waimakariri LEC are having a Quiz Night on Monday 16 November at the The Peg Tavern, Belfast.  from 7.00 to 9.30pm $20.00pp or a Team of 6.  The event is being organised by Heather Mannix, phone 03 9813073 or 027 3600228 for tickets.  If you can’t get a team together, don't worry they  will have a team for you.

And a special thanks to people from outside the Party who came and made the workshops challenging and often surprising:
Lachlan Mackenzie from Fed Farmers, businessman Selwyn Pellet, Steven Miles and Nick Moraitis from Australia, Monsignor David Cappo from Adelaide, Professor Ralph Chapman, Lewis Holden from the Republican Movement and Don Christie President of the Open Source Society. The Fringe workshops were great and we'll certainly be incorporating them into future conferences. I couldn't mention the Open Source workshop without acknowledging one of the youngest conference delegates, eight year old Jackson Lacy, who wowed the other workshop participants with his enthusiasm and amazing knowledge of the inner workings of open source.

Thank you to our powerful and inspiring speakers: Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters,host MP Steve Chadwick, Party President Andrew Little, South Australian Premier Mike Rann (I've got a hard copy of his speech if anyone wants one), CTU President Helen Kelly, Labour Leader Phil Goff and Deputy Leader Annette King. And who could forget Mike Williams' gold badge presentation with the wonderful 'good bastard' speech from Pete Hodgson?

Thanks too to Trevor Maxwell and his kapa haka group, the Fraser House team, Rosemary Cathcart and the Rotorua LEC for putting on a great dinner for us (even though the ABs didn't win), our event producer Romola Lang and her team for another great conference. I'd like to acknowledge the Sector Council heads for their role in keeping the Party in good shape. Thank you to our fabulous MC Darren Hughes, where would we be without you? To Therese McCrea from Palmy for giving us the marvellous Labour Cake - you are a decorating genius and we loved it! A debt of gratitude to Philippa Burns for 'selling' the Labour Party Packs and the Dick Frizzel poster all weekend with such panache and a special thank you to our beautiful flower girl Charlotte Agnew-Harrington and my hardworking minions, the Lesperance kids. Thanks, you were a treat!

And a big thankyou to photographer John Chapman who was flat out all weekend taking hundreds of photos. A selection of conference photos is available at Grassroots Labour (which now has 954 members so if 6 of you could join right now to make it an even thousand, that would be good!). If John took your photo and you'd like a copy just email me jenny.michie@labour.org.nz

And for those of you who went to conference and would like to give us some feedback, here's a quick survey form you can fill in to help us make Annual Conferences even better.

All of the people who are hosting parties will go into a draw to win a special prize - the winner will get to have Labour leader Phil Goff as your special guest. We'll draw the lucky winner on Thursday 15 October. Read more and order your Party Pack

We're asking each electorate to give 10 parties or raise $1000. The parties can be any format; breakfast, brunch, lunch, a picnic at the beach, a barbie or a formal dinner. They can be any size - some electorates are just having one large party with over 100 people, some are holding over ten parties.

10 x $10 x 10 x 70 = $70,000
The host asks at least 10 people to come along and then the guests are asked to give $10 to the Labour Party fund. That's $100 per party, $1000 per electorate and $70,000 all up.

The Party Pack
Each Party host gets a Party Pack that includes:
· Preprinted invitations and envelopes
· Menu ideas from celebrity chef Lois Daish
· DVD of Labour Leader Phil Goff and Party President Andrew Little welcoming guests and asking for the $10 donation
· A special Labour money box

Establishing an annual event
This will be a regular event on Labour's fundraising calendar.

What to do now
Get in touch with jenny.michie@labour.org.nz or 04 384 7649 and we'll send you a party pack.

The DVD of Phil Goff and Andrew Little will be sent to all Party Hosts and Key Organisers so it's important that we know who is hosting them.

With you we will live, work and have some fun during our time here very aware of the strength and spirit of the land you welcome us to and the special beauty of the lakes and mountains of the Rotorua district.

With you we remember and respect our forebears from all over this land and from many other continents and islands who have gone before us in this life and shaped our lives through the gifts of their knowledge, their labour, their wisdom and their love. In the spirit of the welcome you have given us we will work diligently and in harmony to continue our service to the land and all our people as that is the Labour Party way.

This weekend is an important one for the Labour Party. It is not the first time the party has met following an election defeat but it will be the first time we have met following an election defeat after 9 years in government, after redefining the political landscape under an outstanding leader, after a smoothly-established and equally outstanding new leadership in Parliament and after an election that has produced a caucus bursting at the seams with talent.

So, we meet in good heart and good shape. This is the first opportunity since last year's general election for the party to meet in its national form and for its many parts to come together. Conferences are a chance for us to bring together representatives from every town, every city, every sector, every sphere and every dimension in the great celebration of diversity that is the New Zealand Labour Party.

This is when the party truly comes to life. We only need to look around to see that we are truly a party of all New Zealand. In the past 10 months last year's election result has been discussed and debated at every level of the Party - branches, LECs, regional committees and conferences and at the New Zealand Council. We can't - and we won't - avoid a discussion about it this weekend.

The general election result is the obvious back-drop to this weekend's conference. But it is not where this conference starts and stops. This weekend is about celebrating and reflecting and about looking ahead to a very bright future. We are celebrating the achievements of the fifth Labour government.

We are reflecting on the lessons of that 9 years of government, and we are drawing deeply from the values and principles that have been at the heart this party for nearly 100 years. And we are looking ahead. And, of course, not just looking but engaging and committing and preparing to act.

As we look back on the 9 years of the fifth Labour government we have much to celebrate. By 2008 we had reversed some of the most iniquitous aspects of previous National government. The practical achievements of the fifth Labour government were many.

Better employment rights (whether workplace rights, holiday rights, other leave such as paid parental leave, and health and safety rights); important economic measures like the New Zealand Superannuation fund; like KiwiSaver, that has given hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders the opportunity to build savings in a painless way; through important measures like Working for Families that evens out some of the unfairness in the tax system and gives many families a financial boost.

All of these measures, and many more, mean that New Zealand, after 9 years of a Labour government, is one of the few countries in the world that can say it has reduced levels of income-inequality and social-inequality amongst its citizens.

This is a Labour achievement. This is what Labour stands for. This is what Labour governments do.

On the jobs front, we invested in industry training and apprenticeships and we made it a priority to maximise employment opportunities and cut unemployment. And Labour did cut unemployment - to one of the lowest levels in the OECD.

This is what Labour stands for. This is what Labour governments do.

We put money into schools and into hospitals and health services; investment that not only improved these services but also started to reward our health workers and teachers for the critical work they do.

Beyond our own shores, ours was a government that stepped up to important international challenges - such as refusing to be drawn into the illegitimate war in Iraq; and addressing what is surely the most pressing social and economic challenge of our time, climate change. Because on this issue nothing less than the survival of the planet is at stake.

Under Labour New Zealand took its place on the world stage; we saw a talented and bolder but just as friendly Kiwi personality being asserted. And we won respect from our international neighbours and friends around the world.

All of this was Labour in action. This is what Labour stands for. This is what we do.

History might not yet have had time to fully judge the contribution of the fifth Labour government, the Helen Clark government, to the nation's story but it is almost certain it will be judged as a transformational period for New Zealand and for Kiwis.

There are some who express nervousness about us making continuing references to the fifth Labour government, to Helen Clark and to Michael Cullen. But I - and I know all of us in this room - are proud of that time. It has been a defining time not only for New Zealand but for this party.

And if ever there is one thing that is testament to the quality of that government, surely it is that even in an election in which the party was voted out of government, we managed to have elected 13 new MP's. We had already welcomed two talented new MPs between the 2005 and the 2008 elections - Charles Chauvel and Sua William Sio. And since the 2008 election, we have won yet another enormously talented MP in the form of David Shearer in Mt Albert.

The truth is that we have a caucus now that is surely one of the most talented ever of any major party at any time in the New Zealand Parliament.

But it is equally true, if I might invoke the leader we loved and respected, and continue to from afar - and I am sure even she would implore us to do so - we must also move forward.

And so we are. The successes of our past are to build upon, not to rest on.

So amidst the celebration we are entitled to have together this weekend, let's also reflect.

Ours is a party forged decades ago out of the violent clashes of history and of social and economic forces, out of times of transformation from antiquity to modernity, times of new understandings about humanity, and a time when long-stated visions and dreams of freedom and dignity began to be more than the fine words of the privileged and the elite, but were ideas that began to mean something to the poor, the dispossessed and to those dependent on their ability to offer nothing but hard work and talent to survive.

Ours is a party whose foundation stone is justice - just workplaces, a just social order, a society and economy built on mutual respect and the dignity of humankind.

Ours is a party that draws on the liberal and progressive forces that were active in the late 19th century and which did so much to build this nation. The Labour Party was born when unions and other labour organisations galvanised their own and other strands of progressive movements at the beginning of the 20th century when they realised that improving standards of living, improving incomes and achieving a just social and economic order needed not only hands on the levers of the economy and the state, but a coherent platform from which to do it.

We can say three things about the origins of the Labour Party.

It is driven by clearly understood values and principles - that people matter; That looking after each other, looking after our mates and neighbours, is what makes good families and good communities; that healthy communities means declaring war on poverty and privation so families can live in dignity; that the freedom to chase our dreams and ambitions, to speak and worship as we wish, is not a claim to selfishness, self-absorption and greed but a claim to be part of a society made richer by difference and diversity and people fulfilled; that the freedom of the individual is not the same as the freedom to exploit and demean; that collaborating - working together - to improve communities and society as a whole does not diminish any one of us but enriches us all.

The second thing we can say is that ours is a party built on the pragmatism that goes with bringing diverse interests together around a common cause and common values. We were born out of a coming together of disparate interests. We believe in agreement to achieve common goals.

And thirdly, ours is a party grounded in practicality; in an understanding of people's basic needs and the need to give each person the chance and the means to achieve the best they can according to their abilities, regardless of their origins of birth, their sex, race or gender. Even whether or not they are in receipt of a benefit.

This is what Labour stands for. This is what we do.

Ours is a party that was propelled to government for the first time when the need for the expression of these values was greatest.

And ever since our party was first in government, ours is the party that has steered this country through periods of great and progressive change:

In 1935, we answered the call for security and personal dignity, the alleviation of hardship, the bringing together of a people downtrodden and demoralised by poverty and degradation with a Cabinet whose leading personalities were drawn from the great struggles for justice decades before and who would dominate the Party for generations to follow (Savage, Fraser, Nash, not to forget Semple, Hickey and even John A Lee). They introduced comprehensive social security and universal benefits; they got New Zealanders out of the demeaning and dehumanising poverty camps and back to work;

In the 1940s it was a Labour Prime Minister, Peter Fraser, who in his time created the foundations of the modern education system and on the international front played such an important role in the creation of the institutions that have been so crucial to sustained international peace;

In 1957, we produced in Walter Nash a prime minister who faced declining economic conditions (inherited from the do-nothing National government before him) and was forced to make the hard decisions;

In 1972 it was Labour Prime Minister Norm Kirk who started the long and difficult process of restoring the mana of the Treaty of Waitangi and of reconciling and redressing the deeply felt longstanding hurts of Maori as our first people. It was Norman Kirk who stood up to the powers of the world and asserted our independent foreign policy whether over Vietnam, protesting against French nuclear testing or opening a dialogue with China;

In 1984 it was the Labour government at that time that took the difficult and controversial steps that led to some necessary economic change for New Zealand, and it was a government that also asserted our international independence and led the world in nuclear-free policy. This was a difficult and divisive time - for New Zealand and the party.

And then the latest Labour government under Helen Clark showed, by contrast to 1984, that it is possible to have a well functioning economy built on fairness and justice.

Ours is the party of ideas. The party more willing than any other to step up to the real challenges of the day. The party to make change. The Party prepared to make a real difference to the lives of people.

And amidst all this, even as ours is the party of positive change, it is also the party that has historically understood the need for rules, shown respect for the constitution, for the rule of law and for our democratic institutions.

We are the party of values and of principles and of people.

We are the party of practicality and pragmatism, because it is these things that have brought us to life and have guided our governments.

And we respect the need for rules and for order as the basis of great collective and individual achievement.

The Labour Party knows the extraordinary power of the State - the power to make a difference, to lift people, to change people and their communities for the better. And we also know the power of the State to crush, to destroy. And it has been Labour's role to make sure that citizens benefit from the positive the State can do and are protected from the harm it can do.

So, as we reflect on this party's contribution to this great country throughout its many governments let's also be bold enough to reflect on where even on in our most recent time in office we might have got it wrong.

We might ask ourselves if sometimes in the last 9 years we got the priorities wrong; whether we gave as much attention to those things that lift standards of living, that sustain productive businesses (rather than the speculative ones) and give economic security.

We might want to acknowledge that in all of the political calculus undertaken over the foreshore and seabed issue, depriving Maori of the right to test their claim in court was the wrong thing. It did not respect legal rights and the rule of law.

As we seek to win back the confidence of those who abandoned us, including those who could just not bring themselves to vote last year - for any party - we might recognise that an acknowledgement that we could have done better in some respects, that we could have acted differently, is called for.

The biggest task we have as we reflect and start to reshape ourselves ready for 2011 is to look at what we have to offer. And to look at how we will get there in 2011.

We have some obvious things going for us.

I have already talked about a caucus that we now have in Parliament, its talents and skills; its energy and its drive.

Foremost in that caucus is our leader, Phil Goff. The reality is, there is only one MP in our caucus who can provide the leadership to take us to victory, and that is Phil.

Phil brings an extraordinary depth of knowledge, skills and experience both as an MP and as a Leader of the Labour Party. It is one thing to have a highly talented team with ideas and enthusiasm. It is quite another to lead that team and turn it into a force that every day fronts up to this government under the full glare and scrutiny of the media.

So far this year, Phil has led the charge on the issues that matter most to our supporters - jobs, decent wages and support for those facing the stress of redundancy and unemployment. And Phil, as is the nature of true Labour leaders, has been principled and unrelenting in his pursuit of these issues.

This is Labour in action. This is what Labour stands for.

And, we are a party of new ideas, as we have always been. We have no shortage of them. We have a policy council process now, originally spearheaded by Phil Twyford, and now coordinated by Jordan Carter, that seeks out the best ideas from throughout the entire party, at every level. And the reason why this conference is so vital for our fightback in 2011 is that this weekend is our chance to debate new ideas for this party, the new ideas that will take New Zealand forward again.

We have the current circumstances that we all find ourselves in. Not just the economic conditions in New Zealand today, but around the world.

The world is demanding change. Social democratic parties around the world, even conservative parties around the world, are looking for alternatives to the madness that has governed our economies over the last 30 years.

The idea that banks and finance houses will act in the public interest has been shown up for the fantasy it was. The idea that taking rights and conditions off working people will help the economy, and conversely that shoring up rights and improving incomes will wreck it, has been exposed for the contempt that underpins it.

The idea that the only thing that matters in an economy is control of inflation, even when doing so systematically destroys the productive sector - this idea has surely had its day. Here in New Zealand those attempts to control inflation have led to an unprecedented volatility in the exchange rate. Ask the export sector - it can't go on.

We have another factor in our favour. This current government.

Compare our government today with what we stand for. This is not a government for all the people. Look at the people it has been systematically removing from public boards and organisations - for example, Ross Wilson, arguably the most knowledgable New Zealander on ACC and someone who has made a lifelong commitment to its continuation and improvement, unceremoniously dumped from chairing the ACC board.

Look at this government's group looking at productivity, chaired by Don Brash. Apparently productivity doesn't involve the 2.4 million working people who daily keep our firms and services operating, and they do not have a voice on this crucial topic.

Look at what this government's doing to the boards of polytechnics. It now wants to gut them of sector representatives.

Look where they've taken the knife to education - adult and community education. The very thing that gives so many a small opportunity to pick up on life opportunities they might otherwise not have had access to.

And what of people who stand up decisions like removing the training incentive allowance that helps those on benefits to get help learning new skills to regain their independence? The deliberate and cynical attack on the two women who spoke out against this decision should have outraged the nation. When a minister of the Crown acts in this way, those women become the victims of a bullying State, the power of the State to crush and destroy.

What is more disturbing, however, is the fact that at least three major daily newspapers - remember these great defenders of free speech - editorialised in support of the government. This doesn't just expose how fragile genuine freedom of speech is here, but what we are up against in balanced media commentary today.

All of this gives us the opportunity to start afresh; to look at the next generation of ideas and to reassert our principles and our values as a part of progess.

But we have other challenges too. Foremost amongst those are lifting our membership and meeting the need for fundraising. These challenges are not new to us. We need to rebuild, but we have rebuilt before. We need to step up our fundraising, look at new ways of fundraising, and to build a long term stable financial base. We will talk about these challenges this weekend. Meeting these needs will be the priority for the new General Secretary, when endorsed.

In conclusion, let's be clear. There is only one party capable of coming up with new ideas, real ideas, that address the real issues of today and in the future. There is only one party committed to transformation, to positive change, to improving the lives of the ,many not the few. In New Zealand politics today, there is only one caucus with the breadth of talent, ideas and skills to make a difference. And the there is only one leader who can deliver.

It is Phil Goff. Leading the Labour caucus. Leading the next Labour government.

This is what this Labour Party needs to do.

It's our job to make this happen. We start this weekend.

"Chris brings an excellent skill set to the position, with his experience as both legal counsel and political coordinator in the Australian trade union movement. He was a pivotal player in the election of the Rudd government and here in New Zealand as the political organiser for the Council of Trade Unions in the last election" says Mr Little.

Chris Flatt says he's honoured and excited by his appointment.

"I'm looking forward to working with the talented leadership team of Phil Goff and Annette King as well as the entire Labour Caucus. I also look forward to working alongside the Party President, Andrew Little and the New Zealand Council as we work towards a Labour victory in 2011" says Chris Flatt.

Mr Flatt says he wants to thank retiring General Secretary, Mike Smith for the outstanding contribution he has made to the Labour Party over the last eight years. He says Mike Smith leaves the Labour Party in great shape and heart.

A cunning plan

We've come up with a fun and easy way for members and supporters to help raise money and have a good time with people they like.
All across NZ Labour supporters will be hosting get-togethers or parties over Labour Weekend (Oct 24 to Oct 26) the long weekend brought to you by the Labour movement.

We're asking each electorate to give at least 10 parties. The parties can be any fromat; breakfast, brunch, lunch, a picnic at the beach, a barbie or a formal dinner.

10 x $10 x 10 x 70 = $70,000

The host asks at least 10 people to come along and then the guests are asked to give $10 to the Labour Party fund. That's $100 per party, $1000 per electorate and $70,000 all up.

The Party Pack

Each Party host gets a Party Pack that includes:

* Preprinted invitations and envelopes
* Menu ideas from celebrity chef Lois Daish
* DVD of Labour Leader Phil Goff welcoming guests and asking for the $10 donation
* Labour Day fridge magnet
* Balloons, serviettes, special Labour money box and reply paid donations envelope

Everybody's doing it
Don't miss out, be host or a guest but make sure you're part of Labour's Labour Weekend Party

Conact jenny.michie@labour.org.nz to register your event and to make sure you recieve your Party Pack

It's recess so I'm again taking the opportunity to get out and about New Zealand to touch base with communities.

It's quite heartening to see communities banding together to help out those less fortunate.

Earlier this week I spent time in Northland. Several of my caucus colleagues joined me as we stopped in at a number of community groups, businesses, and also some of those hit by the recent tornado in Kaitaia.

The community rallied around superbly to help those affected. It is incredible no one was hurt by the 1000s of tiles that were ripped off roofs.

Unemployment in the region has doubled in the past year but I picked up a real sense of community spirit as I met with locals who are toughing it out in these difficult times.

Communities are filling the void being left by the Government at the moment and they need to be commended for that.

Northland is a wonderful part of New Zealand which I love visiting and the locals are always willing to give us advice.

A personal highlight for me was to meet Stacy Jones' grandfather Danny Jones at Stacy's cousin Shane Jones's marae in Awanui.

Click here to see more of our trip to Northland.

AUCKLAND SUPER CITY

This week, the first, the last, and only, chance for Aucklanders to have their say on the shape of the Super City got under way with Select Committee hearings held in Auckland.

On Monday I sat in on proceedings and listened to arguments both for and against the Government.

Submissions to the Select Committee on the second Bill before Parliament reflect support for Labour's position and there are signs National is backpedalling fast.

It shows that even in Opposition, you can have an impact in making sure people's voices are heard.

Soon Aucklanders will know what really is at stake in their city and whether the government has finally listened.

Phil Twyford's Members Bill was plucked from the ballot last week.

Phil's Bill aims to protect Auckland's major public assets by requiring a referendum before they can be put up for sale.

Phil Twyford is regularly blogging on the issue on Red Alert. Click here for the latest direct from Labour MPs.

FORESHORE AND SEABED

Travelling through Northland and discussing and listening to debate around the Foreshore and Seabed review was enlightening.

The bottom line is to protect Kiwis access to the beach while also recognising customary rights.

Our submissions on the review of the Act sets out a way to do this which National may well adopt.

One thing is for sure, a broad consensus on the issue needs to be achieved. Old wounds need not be reopened. And preying upon fears and prejudices will not advance the situation for Maori and Non Maori.

We will not go down that track by playing politics.

LAST WORD

Bill English is off to do a deal allowing Kiwis who've worked in Oz to bring their Super back home. This was a deal started under Labour and it's a great thing Kiwisaver's there to allow that to happen isn't it!

COMING UP

Next week, touching base in south Auckland! You can follow my progress on Twitter at http://twitter.com/phil_goff

"Mike will leave a huge gap in institutional knowledge and history of the Labour Party."

Andrew Little says the Party is in a phase of refreshing, renewing and rebuilding its systems ready for a big campaign leading up to the 2011 general election.

"Advertising starts this week and we hope to have an appointment in time for the Party Conference in September."

Download the job description here and details of how to apply here.

The scale of the win - 12,613 votes for David against just 3426 votes for National's Melissa Lee - speaks volumes. Labour listened to and National ignored the local community's needs and concerns. This reflects Labour's wider ongoing commitment to build stronger ties with communities across New Zealand.

National thought it could win, or run Labour close. The gap between the party votes at the 2008 election was just 2300. John Key set the date as early as possible to capitalise on post-election goodwill and he personally chose as a candidate Melissa Lee, put forward as a rising new star on National's back benches.

Mr Key's non-appearance at Melissa Lee's election night event gives us an insight into how the Prime Minister operates. Instead of supporting his team during a difficult night he was at the exclusive Huka Lodge in Taupo. His excuse that this was a prior engagement he could not break frankly does not wash. He chose the election date. It would be staggering to believe he would have passed up the celebrations should Ms Lee have looked like winning.

National's woeful Mt Albert campaign and John Key's election night no-show cap a horror month for National.

Labour will build on this win and will redouble its efforts to engage with voters across New Zealand. We will continue to reflect the concerns of the community and hold the Government to account.

Mt Albert - 5.30pm Tuesday 9 June, Owairaka District Primary School, 113 Richardson Rd, Owairaka, hosted by Phil Goff and David Shearer.

Waitakere - 7.30pm, Wednesday 10 June, Kelston Community Centre, Cnr Great North Road and Awaroa Rd, hosted by David Cunliffe, Lynne Pillay and Chris Carter.

Auckland Central - 7pm Thursday 11 June, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, hosted by Phil Twyford.

North Shore - 7pm Thursday 11 June, North Shore Events Centre, Silverfield & Argus Pl Entrances, Wairau Valley, hosted by Darien Fenton.

Waiheke - 1pm Sunday 14 June, Morra Hall, Oneroa, hosted by Phil Twyford.

Manukau - 5.30pm Monday 15 June, Papatoetoe Town Hall, George St, Papatoetoe, hosted by Ross Robertson, Su'a William Sio, George Hawkins, Ashraf Choudhary.

Maungakiekie - 7.30pm Monday 15 June, College of Chiropractic, 6 Harrison Rd (off Ellerslie-Panmure Highway) Mt Wellington, hosted by Carol Beaumont.

DOWNLOADABLE MATERIAL:

Powerpoint presentation [.ppt 200K] (Right-click link and choose "Save as" to download) 

Guide to making a submission [.pdf 100K] 

The by-election blog is the place to follow the action right through to election day.

Visit: puttingmtalbertfirst.org.nz for videos, photos and coverage of the on-the-ground campaign.

This speech is my last in this Parliament and that is something I view with a mix of emotions.

Being a member of the New Zealand Parliament has been a big part of my adult life, and my involvement in New Zealand politics more broadly long predates my election as MP for Mt Albert in 1981.

In 1968, fresh from Epsom Girls' Grammar School, I enrolled at Auckland University, to study History, English, German, and, yes - as an after-thought - Political Studies.

What a year that was for students around the world, with unrest spreading across the campuses of many a country as the post war baby boomer generation came of age.

Here in New Zealand, those of us who were politically minded were not short of causes to get involved in. Opposition to the Vietnam War, apartheid sport, nuclear testing in the Pacific - all these issues sent fault lines through New Zealand politics - some ideological, some generational. The great strength of Norman Kirk as Labour Leader was that he reached across the generations to speak for us as young people on these issues and in articulating an independent foreign policy.

In my childhood and teenage years, a television set was not a feature of every home.

That meant that politicians were rather remote figures whose voices were only occasionally to be heard on one of the handful of government owned radio stations (this was before Radio Hauraki broke the monopoly by broadcasting from a boat in the Hauraki Gulf), or were read about in the then rather dry columns of the print media.

I remember Sir Ronald Algie MP coming to prizegivings at my secondary school. I recall being barked at by Sir Leslie Munro in the Te Pahu Hall when, as a student, I had the temerity to ask him a question about the wisdom of deploying New Zealand troops in Vietnam - but other exposure to politicians was non-existent in my earlier life.

In recent years when children have asked me whether I wanted to be Prime Minister when I was a child, I could only reply that I couldn't have imagined that happening, as the politicians of my childhood and youth were almost invariably rather elderly gentlemen.

Those perceptions changed for me during my student days, and upon joining the Labour Party as I did in 1971. There was a new generation coming into Parliament for Labour, beginning with the election of Jonathan Hunt in 1966. Outside parliament there was the extraordinary energy of Jim Anderton in Labour's Auckland local body campaigns, and later as party president.

As well there was the growing stature of Norman Kirk as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition. I was proud to be a mere foot soldier in the campaign which saw him lead Labour into government in 1972.

But the Third Labour Government suffered greatly from Norman Kirk's untimely death and major economic shocks, leading to its defeat after only three years.

And so it was back to the politics of opposition for nine years, in the course of which I myself entered Parliament as the MP for Mt Albert.

As many are well aware, I grew up on a farm in the Western Waikato and did not prima facie have a background of the kind associated with Labour Leaders of the past. But my wider family, like many, had a range of political allegiances. Politics was definitely of great interest to us, and not something just to be engaged in via a vote on Election Day.

My parents were perhaps initially surprised at the direction my politics took, but, within a relatively short period of time, they extended their strong personal support for me to strong political support. That continues to this day, with my father who is 87 being present in the gallery, and my mother, who is not well enough to travel, being able, I hope, to watch proceedings on television today, along with my sister Jenefer who is caring for her. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude to Mum and Dad for their lifelong love and support of me.

My first general election campaign as a Labour candidate was in 1975 in Piako - one of National's safest seats, held by gentleman Jack Luxton, and later by his son John.

What a great learning experience that was for me, moving through the small towns of the East and South Waikato, drawing support in particular from workers and their families associated with the Kaimäï Tunnel project, the dairy and timber factories, and the Arapuni hydro village.

I well remember a campaign visit in support of me by Sir Basil Arthur, Minister of Transport, where superstition dictated that as a woman I could not accompany him into the Kaimäï Tunnel.

The highlight of the campaign was the late Bill Rowling putting Putäruru on his whistle stop tour of the Waikato. The hall we hired was filled to overflowing for the morning tea held in his honour.

My advice to young people starting out in politics is to be prepared to run first for their party in electorates which are highly unlikely to be won, but where one will learn a lot and have more to offer when a winnable seat comes along. Success is seldom instant in politics, and, where it does come quickly, it can equally quickly fizzle out.

The Parliament I entered in 1981 was far less diverse than that we see today. That year the number of women elected to parliament doubled from four to eight, and there were only six Maori MPs.

The main forms of recreation were the billiards room in what is now the Grand Hall, the Bellamys' bar, and the card schools in Members' offices.

To say that this was an alien environment for a 31 year old woman, fresh from a university teaching position; would be an understatement. It was hard going, as frankly a lot of my political career has been, but it was character forming, and gave me the experience and confidence to go all the way in the system, and, importantly, to be part of changing it for the better.

But saying that Parliament was hard going and an alien environment brings one to the issue of motivation - of what exactly it was which attracted me to this life.

What brought me here was idealism, values, a sense of community and of internationalism, a desire to make a contribution to public life, and overwhelmingly a sense of gratitude for the opportunities New Zealand has offered me and which I believe should be the birthright of every New Zealander.

I have always been proud of New Zealand's egalitarian traditions. Deep in our nation's roots is the ethos that Jack is as good as his master - and these day that Jill is as good as her mistress.

Many of our forebears came to this land to escape the class-bound nature of Britain, where their place in the economic and social order was largely prescribed from birth.

I deeply detest social distinction and snobbery, and in that lies my strong aversion to titular honours. To me they relate to another era, from which our nation has largely, but obviously still not completely, freed itself.

Entering Parliament was for me a way of translating ideals into positive action - hard as that can sometimes be. There have been many issues over my 41 years of political activity when I've perhaps been ahead of public opinion at the time. Yet, so often, today's avant-garde become tomorrow's status quo. Such thoughts cross my mind when I see a cross section of New Zealand families celebrate their children's civil union; or a government delegation from Vietnam welcomed as friends and regional partners, when once to support relations with their country was thought to be beyond the mainstream.

My first six years as an MP saw me focused on three main areas of activity.

First there was my electorate work in Mt Albert. How grateful I will always be to the wonderful people of those central Auckland suburbs for the opportunities and support they gave me to grow and develop as a politician and leader over 27 years.

Mt Albert was formed as a new electorate in 1946. It faced a by-election the following year, when the long serving Arthur Richards, the former Member for Roskill, retired. Warren Freer was then elected at the age of 26 and served for 34 years, rising to the number three position in Labour's parliamentary hierarchy and becoming a senior minister.

It is certainly my hope that Mt Albert will support and nurture Labour successors to Warren and me who have the capacity to rise to the very top of New Zealand politics and serve their electorate and our country with distinction.

The bread and butter constituency work Mt Albert is interfacing with government agencies and departments on matters like housing, social welfare, and immigration, and supporting the endeavours of our fine local schools, sports clubs, and communities.

The communities which make up Mt Albert are strong and diverse, making it a very rewarding electorate in which to live and work. I will miss it a lot over the next four years - but home is where the heart is, and my heart will always be in Kingsland where Peter and I have spent our 27 years of married life.

Second, there was the work here in Parliament - for me, mainly focused around various permutations of what is now the Foreign Affairs and Defence Select Committee - of which I became Chair from 1984 to 1987. The nuclear-free legislation was a highlight of that period, as were the major reports our committee produced on disarmament and on New Zealand's relationship with China.

Third, there was the broader work within the Labour Party, where I had been a New Zealand Executive member since 1978. There was the excitement of the 1984 campaign, and the trauma of the economic shock and adjustments which followed the election. Victory in 1987 disguised the fact that in our heartland seats held by ministers; the Labour vote slumped - as the Fourth Labour Government had delivered economic policies to which our traditional supporters could not relate and which had not been foreshadowed.

That experience and the subsequent massive 1990 defeat left a lasting impression on me - along with a determination for the future to be transparent about election policy, to deliver on it, and to keep faith with the loyal, long term Labour supporters who sustain our movement through good years and bad. There are always fair weather friends in politics - one knows who one's true friends are when they are still standing with you in the aftermath of defeat when the phone (and now the texts) have otherwise gone rather quiet.

My time as a Minister from 1987-1990 was very rewarding and enabled me to engage with communities across New Zealand. As Minister of Conservation, I returned to the extraordinary places I had last visited on South Island family holidays in the 1950s and ‘60s. I was able to strike the occasional blow for the environment by rejecting obtrusive development projects - like the Monowai Mine on the Coromandel and the Nukuhau Marina proposed for Lake Taupo.

Public housing and health were passionate interests of mine and so much was achieved - from the acquisition of many more state houses, to passage of the pioneering smoke free legislation, and of the innocently named Nurses Amendment Act which freed midwives to practise autonomously.

As Minister of Labour in 1990 I took the Employment Equity Act through Parliament, only to see it gone by Christmas that same year. In the face of a retailer revolt, I also promoted the legislation for seven day shop trading. While that was not welcomed by retail workers, the introduction was softened by my writing what amounted to an advanced industrial agreement into a schedule of the Act. Alas, that didn't long survive the 1990 election either.

The nine years in Opposition in the 1990s were tough years, as we in Labour worked to restore our electoral credibility.

There was the shock treatment of the new National Government's health, superannuation, welfare, and industrial policies, and unemployment rose above ten percent in 1991.

The electorate clearly wasn't happy in 1993, but still saw Labour as having a lot of baggage from the 1990s. This "plague on both your houses" sentiment was then expressed in the resounding vote for a change to the electoral system in 1992, and the binding referendum on MMP in 1993.

The New Zealand electoral system has never been the same since. The two party system crumbled as the first MMP election approached, with MPs leaving both major parties to sit elsewhere in the House.

I became Leader of the Opposition at the very point that the old electoral order began to crumble, and smaller parties had a chance of finding a niche in the political spectrum. Labour lost support to the Alliance and to New Zealand First in particular.

The nadir came with a Colmar Brunton poll in the mid 1990s which put Labour on fourteen per cent and me on two per cent as preferred Prime Minister. It doesn't get much worse than that - and looking back on it now I am only surprised that concerned delegations of colleagues didn't beat a path to my door more often.

Against that background, success in the 1996 election was impossible, but nonetheless it marked a turning point for me and for Labour. The coalition government stitched together was not a marriage made in heaven, and eventually dissolved.

Meanwhile Labour and the Alliance were able to effect a rapprochement and to campaign as a ready made coalition in 1999.

The rest is history. 1999 delivered a Labour-Alliance minority coalition government with support on confidence and supply from the Green Party.

Our government then and in subsequent terms embarked on a programme of change across the economic, social, environmental and cultural spheres, which over time has made a substantial difference for the better to many New Zealanders' lives.

Fairness, opportunity, and security were our core values - and they were applied across the board.

We took a long term approach to investment - in the Superannuation Fund, in Kiwi Saver, in early childhood education, in skills training, in research and development, in primary health care, in public transport, and much else besides.

Workers' rights were enhanced through the Employment Relations Act, paid parental leave, and a fourth week's annual holiday.

The economy experienced its longest run of continuous growth since the Second World War, and unemployment remained low for years. These successes gave us the capacity to make significant investments in families, services, and infrastructure. The rising tide did lift every boat, transforming the circumstances of Maori, Päkehä, Pasifika, Asian, and all other communities.

In our last term in particular, comprehensive sustainability policies were put in place to put New Zealand on the front foot in combating climate change. I strongly believe that it is important for our country's international credibility that we are seen to take these issues seriously and be prepared to act.

Over nine years we made substantial acquisitions for the conservation estate - with the jewels in the crown being the transfer of Molesworth Station to the Department of Conservation and the purchase of the pastoral lease of the spectacular St James Station.

It was my pleasure to lead our work on arts and culture - to encourage the development of New Zealand talent, audience enjoyment, economic opportunity, and the promotion of our unique New Zealand identity and perspectives.

The heritage part of my portfolio was also immensely satisfying. I look back on years of significant projects from the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior; to the new, "born digital", official encyclopaedia - Te Ara; to volumes of oral and other histories of World War Two and the Vietnam War, and to the major regional museum and gallery projects for which the government become a substantial funding partner.

There's also been the ongoing process of reconciling with our past - of recognising injustice and addressing it. New Zealanders are now very familiar with the settlement of historic grievances going back to the time of colonisation and the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. These settlements must be completed so that we can move forward together as a nation.

As one who grew up on a farm on Raupatu land in the Waikato, where our family's presence felt like it had been for ever, I cannot even begin to imagine the scale of loss felt by Waikato Tainui from the mid nineteen century, but I hope that I and my government have played our part in putting right. The presence of Kingi Tuheitia and his delegation here today means a great deal to me as did the friendship of the late Te Arikinui, Dame Te Ata-i-rangi kahu over many years.

As well in my time as Prime Minister, there was the apology to New Zealand's early Chinese settlers and their descendants for the unique and severe discrimination they suffered for many decades; and the apology to Samoa for the injustices perpetrated by the New Zealand colonial administration.

And just last year I issued on behalf of the government and people of New Zealand an apology to Vietnam veterans and their families, for the manner in which their loyal service to New Zealand was not recognised as it should have been and for the inadequate support extended to them and their families.

Reconciliation, respect, inclusion, human rights - these were important themes for me as a Prime Minister with a deep belief in equality.

Maoridom in recent decades has undergone a profound renaissance and stands very tall today as New Zealand's first people, as substantial economic stakeholders, and as contributing so much which is fundamental to New Zealand's unique national identity. Our government was a willing partner in that renaissance.

Our substantial Pasifika populations have also made their presence felt from the professions to the factories, from the movie screens to the sports fields and beyond, to become a quintessential part of the fabric of New Zealand society.

I have enjoyed my involvement with New Zealand's many emerging ethnic communities, whose cultures, heritage, languages, and faiths add so much to the richness of our nation.

The Civil Union Act enabling rainbow couples to express their love for each other by cementing their relationship in law; the Property Relationships Act applying the principles of fair division of property on the dissolution of a de facto relationship; and our work guided by the New Zealand Disability Strategy were all important to me.

There is so much about New Zealand which is special and marks us out as a unique and gifted nation.

We have evolved distinctive reconciliation and constitutional processes. Our institutions from our Parliament and executive government system under MMP to our Supreme Court have evolved a long way from our colonial heritage. It is inevitable that our constitutional status as a monarchy will also change - it's a question of not if, but when.

My government sought to reflect our nation's unique personality in New Zealand's international relations. For us, New Zealand needed to stand for peace, justice, reconciliation, and sustainability. Our refusal to participate in the war in Iraq was a decision based on principle - involvement would have ripped our country apart for no good purpose.

I take pride in the high regard in which New Zealand is held internationally; and the work our government did in the Pacific and East Asia, in rebuilding the relationship with the United States, in broadening relations with Europe, in engaging strategically with Latin America, and in deploying peacekeepers around the globe.

That high regard for our nation and our constructive way of working internationally was the background against which I went forward as a candidate for the position of Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. I regard my selection as a huge honour for me and for New Zealand and I will seek to carry out my duties there in a way which reflects well on our country.

I have no regrets about leaving Parliament at this time. I have had an incredible career here and have been given enormous opportunities. But it is time to go and for others in my party to take forward the cause we believe in and I will always believe in.

The election result of course was disappointing after so many years of hard work and a sense of achievement in so many areas. But we live in a democracy and the people's will must be accepted and respected - as it is by me.

A long and rewarding political career is not a solo act. I stand here knowing that I have been supported by so many people for so long because they believed in me and in the values I represented.

My parents gave me the best start in life any child could have - a secure and loving home, and support for my education at every stage.

My three sisters, my brothers-in-law, and my nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins in our large extended family have been very supportive of Peter and me over our many years in the public eye.

Peter himself has been a staunch supporter of my aspirations and career - no matter how unpleasant and difficult things got in political life from time to time. There have been immensely more high points than low points.

For ten consecutive elections I have received solid support from the Mt Albert electorate, and I thank all those who have voted and worked for me there over 27 years. Special thanks are due to the Mt Albert Labour Electorate Committee which has worked hard to make our electorate one of the best organised in New Zealand, and to my hardworking electorate office staff led by my long-time friend and supporter Joan Caulfield.

My political career has been based on the values and principles of the New Zealand Labour Party - and I thank all those at all levels and in all regions across New Zealand for their constant support.

Here in Parliament I have been privileged to work with remarkable colleagues, from my deputy leader for many years, Dr Michael Cullen, to those who made up our Cabinet and Caucus. I have made many friends in politics, and I know those friendships will be life long. The texts will keep coming - and maybe even some tweets.

Other political parties played an indispensable role in the success of the Labour-led Government over our nine years in office. I worked particularly closely with the Hon Jim Anderton, and was pleased to see a friendship formed in the 1970s, which had been put under great strain in the 1980s and 1990s, resume in the 21st century.

Jeanette Fitzsimons and the Green Party worked closely with me and Labour for many years, because we shared common approaches in many areas.

While there was less commonality, nonetheless honourable relationships which guaranteed confidence and supply were established with Hon Peter Dunne and United Future, and Rt Hon Winston Peters and New Zealand First.

A relationship based on considerable common interest was also possible with the Maori Party during the last parliamentary term. Hon Tariana Turia and I go back a long way, and I acknowledge in particular her generous comments in Parliament last week.

My contact with the National Party and ACT has not been significant given the significance of the philosophical differences between us, but I do wish on this occasion to acknowledge the leaders of both parties, John Key and Rodney Hide, for their courtesy in recent times, and also the courtesy of numerous other members, going back to the time of Marilyn Waring and Katherine O'Regan, Paul East, and Simon Upton. I've also enjoyed Jim Bolger's company post-politics.

I have very much valued the ongoing wise counsel and advice of Geoffrey Palmer, and the support and insights provided by Mike Moore on moving into the international system.

As Prime Minister I was supported by the broader public service in general and by those departments and agencies, for which I had direct responsibility in particular Mark Prebble and then Maarten Wevers as heads of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Marie Shroff, Diane Morcom, and Rebecca Kitteridge as Cabinet Secretaries, and their staff all worked hard to ensure that Labour as a democratically elected government could implement its policies.

Martin Matthews, Jane Kominik, and all at the Ministry for Culture & Heritage helped me to give arts, culture, and heritage a higher profile than ever before in our country.

The Department of Internal Affairs supported me in my role as Minister of Ministerial Services and as host of countless international delegations at head of state and government level.

I enjoyed my work with the Security Intelligence Service and the Government Communications Security Bureau led variously by Richard Woods, Warren Tucker, and Bruce Ferguson. I placed trust in them and their staff as they did in me, and I believe that their work is in the interests of New Zealand.

I also owe a great deal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which supported me and my ministers on so many complex issues and me personally through many summits and bilateral visits.

It was also a privilege to be involved in many ways with the New Zealand Defence Force and to see its work on and offshore. I will always remember the amazing visits to Kabul, Bamyan, and Basra; and the Sinai, East Timor, and the Solomon Islands to see New Zealand military personnel at work.

Close personal support for me as Prime Minister came from my private office and the talented teams led by Heather Simpson and Alec McLean; and to this day comes from my parliamentary staff, Jacque Bernstein and Dinah Okeby as it has always come from generations of personal secretaries, researchers, press secretaries, messengers, diary secretaries, typists, and receptionists in the past.

Personal protection came from the Diplomatic Protection Squad of the New Zealand Police who stayed very close to me for the whole nine years. To DPS and the New Zealand Police across our country, thank you for your support. You are New Zealand's unsung heroes and deserve much greater recognition for what you do to protect us all.

Over the 22 years since I first became a Minister of the Crown, I have been not just driven but fully looked after and supported by the government drivers in the VIP service of the Department of Internal Affairs. I have come to know many well, and they are my friends. As a former Prime Minister, I am privileged to continue using their service, so today marks not an end, but an interlude. As General McArthur once famously said, "I will return."

It is 27 years to the month since I made my maiden speech in this chamber at the tender age of 32.

I said then that "My greatest wish is that at the end of my time in this House, I shall have contributed towards making New Zealand a better place than it is today for its people to live in."

I leave knowing that I have fulfilled my wish and that I played a part in making New Zealand a better place.

It has been a privilege to be a member of this House for 27 years and Prime Minister for nine years.

I wish my successor Phil Goff and the Labour team all the best for the next election, and I wish New Zealanders well for what are undoubtedly challenging times ahead.

The Festival organised by the Auckland City Council was held in the Mt Roskill War Memorial Park on Sunday 29th. Auckland Labour Party people set up a bright little stall to fly the flag, hand out information and receive comment, feedback and response from festival goers. Chris Carter, Rajen Prasad, Raymond Huo and Carol Beaumont all attended and made good contact with people and organisations all around the festival.

The festival itself was a wonderful temporary gathering of the global village with food, music, dance, costumes and characters building a celebratory occasion for families and communities.

On the stall we received strong warm support for Labour and Phil Goff, strong warm regard for Helen Clark and curiosity about Helen's new job and the forthcoming by-election in Mt Albert. We also collected heaps of feedback and a little abuse and had lots of fun for the day. The accompanying photographs reflect the festival event as a characteristically beautiful Auckland day.

For more photos of the day check out Grassroots Labour.

Report: Andrew Beyer, NZLP Regional Organiser

The Mount Albert team looks forward to the election of a new Labour Member of Parliament in the upcoming by-election.

David Fowlie
Chair
Mt Albert Labour Electorate Committee
Phone 021 342 452

Labour Leader Phil Goff said:

"Learning about the concerns that New Zealanders have, listening to what their hopes, aspirations and problems are and therefore bringing the Labour caucus better in touch with the views of ordinary New Zealanders.

One of the highlights of the trip was a members and supporters meeting held at the Runanga Workingmen's Club.

You can view the photos on Flickr here and here.

Since the election, the National Government has cancelled the programme. This reversal represents a massive missed opportunity for New Zealand. Instead of scaling back the scheme we should be looking at ways of expanding it, using innovative funding methods such as suspensory loans from power companies, standardised retrofits to reduce costs and a simple building star rating for energy efficiency.

To find out more about the effects of poorly insulated homes, and to sign the petition urging the government to invest in a job-rich scheme to provide insulation upgrades to households, visit www.healthyhomeshealthykiwis.org.nz

The sun shone as usual for the annual Mt Albert LP Women’s Branch Garden Lunch.Set in Briar Purdon’s beautiful garden, the occasion continues the annual tradition begun by Briar in 1993 during the centennial of women’s suffrage.Uncertain spring weather saw the timing moved from Suffrage Day to a celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th in the more reliably golden late summer.

Guest speaker, Jacinda Ardern, paid tribute to the women who had influenced her own involvement in political life - Marilyn Waring, Sonja Davies and Helen Clark.She also shared her experiences as President of the International Union of Socialist Youth, including meeting Nelson Mandela (“ah NZ... you have a wonderful woman Prime Minister”) and the remarkable women of Western Sahara, who have provided the leadership and held society together in the midst of civil war, refugee camps and extreme hardship.Jacinda’s inspiring address continues the tradition of fine political speeches in this garden, including words from Marian Hobbs, Lianne Dalziel, Darien Fenton, Maryan Street and, of course, our own MP Helen Clark.

We were delighted that Helen was able to join us as usual and to spend time with us enjoying the fine food and wine, great music by Jono.The beautiful setting and, of course, the congenial company. In grim times when Labour people everywhere must gear up to fight greedy, mean spirited injustice once again it is important to pause, reflect and celebrate in the sunshine. We hope you can join us next year!

For more photos check out: http://grassroots.labour.org.nz/photo

Report: Pam Nuttall

Photos: Lavinia Cruickshank