Key hails National-Maori Party successes

Prime Minister John Key used his speech at Ratana Pa today to highlight the benefits that have come from National's coalition with the Maori Party.

Politicians from National, Labour, the Greens, United Future and the Maori Party travelled to Ratana for the annual hui to commemorate the birth of the founder of the Ratana religious movement, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, and speak to locals about their political plans.

The Government delegation arrived this afternoon with National and Maori Party MPs walking on to the marae alongside one another.

Mr Key spoke about the problems facing Maori, including unemployment and insufficient education, and the work his government had done to address those issues.

"The National Party has worked with the Maori Party to bring the voice of Maori stronger into the Government," he said.

"In my view, the successes of that relationship have been many-fold. It will have its critics, and I say to the critics 'what can you achieve from opposition?' and the answer is nothing."

Mr Key also highlighted the work that had been done around Treaty of Waitangi settlements, saying the Government was committed to resolving those issues.

"We continue to believe that we can deliver settlements that are not only lasting and fair, but are durable treaty settlements that can see New Zealand change to a new way of thinking, empowering local communities and giving people the opportunity to succeed."

Following his speech, Mr Key told media he was pleased with the reception.

"The comments that were coming from the speakers were all positive and I think they appreciate the work we've been doing, the challenges that are in front of us," he said.

"(Ratana) has had a long-standing historical relationship with Labour and that's still clearly very strong, but I think we're actually making good progress and good in-roads."

Earlier in the day, the Labour Party was given what leader Phil Goff as an "encouraging" welcome.

"They expressed to me their support for Labour, their desire to see a Labour government and I think the speeches were far more positive than I have heard for several years," Mr Goff said.

Church spokesman Adrian Rurawhe also spoke about a renewal of ties between Ratana and Labour.

"The chairman has given encouragement to the Labour Party and to, in particular, the Maori members that are standing for Parliament this year.

"I think it's quite clear that Ratana movement and the Labour movement have been old friends and what we saw on the marae today was a strengthening of that relationship."

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira was a notable absence from today's celebrations.

Mr Harawira is facing a complaint from his fellow caucus members after writing a column in which he accused his party of being too wrapped up in the National coalition.

Co-leader Pita Sharples said Mr Harawira had been at the Ratana celebrations yesterday, and played down his absence today.

"It's definitely not a snub, we spent all yesterday cracking jokes about each other," Dr Sharples said.

"We're still are a team, we just happen to disagree over a few things."

Dr Sharples said Mr Key's message that it was better to be in Government than on the sideline in opposition was a message he took to his constituents.

"We tell them we've had three years sort of throwing stones and while we did awaken a lot of issues we never really achieved too much because you've got to be changing laws or getting money for projects and stuff, and you can only do that really when you're in government."