Ratana support gives Labour a lift

A warm reception at Ratana yesterday reflects support for candidates Labour has selected to stand in this year's general election as well as its policies, Labour leader Phil Goff says.

Last year Labour got a chilly reception at the festivities at Ratana near Wanganui as the religious and political movement sought four candidates to be chosen from its ranks.

The Ratana annual hui commemorates the birth of the founder of the Ratana movement, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana and is the first major event on the political calendar.

This year Labour has announced several Ratana-aligned candidates.

"We got a great reception and Ratana renewed its commitment to Labour and that was really important," Mr Goff told Breakfast on TV One this morning.

"I think they were trying us out last year but this year they responded very warmly to the sort of policies we were talking about."

He said Ratana was very pleased with candidates Labour was putting up such as Rino Tirikatene, standing in Maori seat Te Tai Tonga -- his grandfather was the first Ratana MP.

Soraya Peke-Mason, who lives in Ratana ,is standing in Te Tai Hauauru against Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia and, in a general seat, Louisa Wall is running in Manurewa. Mr Goff said her family had deep connections to Ratana.

Maverick Maori MP Hone Harawira didn't show at Ratana yesterday but his outspoken criticism of the Maori Party's direction was a underlying current. A complaint against him is to be considered on Thursday.

Mr Goff said he had disagreed with some of Mr Harawira's comments in the past but supported his concerns that the smaller party's support of the Government had not made gains for Maori.

Asked about his relationship with the Maori co-leaders Mr Goff said he got on "quite well" with Dr Sharples and "fine" with Mrs Turia.

Prime Minister John Key also came away from Ratana talking up his party's relationship.

On the marae he talked about how National worked with the Maori Party to bring a stronger Maori perspective to Government.

"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."

Later Mr Key told reporters while Ratana had a historically strong relationship with Labour, National was making inroads.