Te Rangi e tu nei

Te Papa e takoto nei

Tatou katoa te hunga ora

Tena koutou katoa

Christchurch, Ōtautahi, thank you for having us.

Mana whenua, thank you for such a warm welcome.

To Jill Day our President and members of the New Zealand Council, thank you for all that you do for the Labour cause.

I particularly want to recognise the outgoing members of the NZ Council – thank you for everything you’ve contributed.

To our exceptional team of MPs, thank you for being here and thank you for the tireless work you do on behalf of Kiwis day in and day out.

And to all of you, our members, I see how energised and resolved you are as we work to make this the first one term National government in New Zealand’s history!

We wouldn’t be here without volunteers like you, so thank you!

Just over a year ago, a new government took office here in Aotearoa, reflecting an election result that none of us wanted, and all of us worked so hard to avoid.

But in the true tradition of the Labour movement, we come together one year on not to mourn, but to organise.

We come together at a time when the country’s unity is being tested by a Government determined to drive us all apart.

Christopher Luxon is choosing to take New Zealand down a path of austerity, of public service cuts, and most appallingly of all, the path of division.

They’ve chosen tax breaks for tobacco companies over the health of New Zealanders.

They’ve chosen tax breaks for landlords over support for first home buyers.

And they’ve chosen to try and divide us as a nation, rather than bring people together.

When New Zealanders voted for change last year, I don’t think this was the change they had in mind.

No wonder so many have already given up and decided to leave for Oz.

Let’s be clear - Kiwis did vote for change last year.

We need to face that reality as we rebuild to win in 2026.

We lost, and now we need to change.

New Zealanders didn’t think we were focussed on the things that were important to them, and they’d lost faith in our ability to deliver on the promises we were making.

A lot of people felt like we were trying to do too much, too fast, all at once. It looked like we weren’t focussed.

To win, we’ll need to reconnect with a much broader range of Kiwis, and that means talking about the issues that matter to them, not just the issues we think should matter to them.

At a time when politics around the world seems so volatile, uncertain, and polarised, we need to be the party that brings people together. We need to be the ones who help to find common ground.

That means talking to, and hearing from, people who have different views to our own.

When you gather with family over Christmas, if you’re like me you’re bound to have a few relatives who will see the world a little differently to you.

You won’t agree with your uncle about everything. But you probably do agree on the value of good jobs and good wages.

You probably do agree on the need for affordable accessible healthcare and the importance of everyone having a place to call home.

This is how we win in 2026 - not by focusing on the things that divide us, but looking for those that unite.

Recent elections around the world have sent a pretty clear message that increasing numbers of working people feel like their economies and their governments aren’t working for them.

Faith in politics, public institutions and the media are at an all time low.

We need to rebuild that trust.

We cannot do that alone – we need to bring New Zealanders with us.

As we head into this year’s conference, we all need to keep that in mind. Winning internal debates isn’t what matters most, winning back the hearts and minds of New Zealanders is.

In 2026 we will be a Labour Party that has listened, has heard and has changed.

After the election I said that listening would be our focus for the first year, and that’s what we’ve been doing.

Next year, our focus will be on renewal, new ideas, and plans for the future. And then in 2026, we’re in it to win it.

Labour will be the most prepared incoming government New Zealand has ever seen.

We will be a Government that leads with integrity and purpose. Providing hope and unity.

We will focus on creating jobs not slashing them, on building assets not selling them, on raising incomes and supporting Kiwis with the cost of living crisis rather than making it worse like this government is.

This National Government made a whole lot of promises to get elected – and now we find they’re more interested in guns, tobacco and divisive culture wars than they are in helping people.

We can show New Zealanders that better is possible.

This weekend’s conference continues our process of renewal. Let’s dive in, debate, catch up and get ready. It’s less than two years to the election.

I am excited for this weekend, I know you’re excited – let’s get into it!

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