Labour Party deputy leader Kelvin Davis has opened the 2023 Labour Congress with an election warning to the party faithful: "Everything is at stake."
The two-day annual event, held this year in Wellington at Te Papa, draws Labour members from across the country, including candidates from the various electorates.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins was not in attendance on Saturday morning, with party president Jill Day telling the 500-odd gathered he was "on the sidelines" of one of his children's weekend matches.
Hipkins is expected to attend tomorrow.
Davis, who MC Kieran McAnulty introduced as one of the most respected members of the Labour caucus, said the sixth Labour Government had been "the transformational government we promised to be".
He said the Government had focused on climate change, housing, child poverty and Te Tiriti o Waitangi — areas he said progress had been made on.
"It's important to understand just how the opposition parties in Parliament right now threaten what has been built.
"Be warned. Everything is at stake.
"Sadly, there are political parties in New Zealand that do not share our world view or values that are disingenuous and, lack authenticity.
"We know their world view is dominated by the cost of everything and the value of nothing."
He said the ACT Party had policies "so ludicrous, it's often hard to know if they are serious or just designed to infuriate".
"Their value system is the antithesis of ours."
"If you think the alternative government will care about our climate crisis, care about human rights, care about the rights of women, Māori, Pacific or ethnic minorities, then wake up."
Davis took aim at National, calling it "negative National, who seem to have storm clouds constantly hovering over their heads".
Referring to its recently-announced tenancy policy, he said: "They will evict tenants without cause. That's just nasty."
He said there was "scaremongering and scapegoating” from opposition parties.
"Surely it is through ignorance because if not it is deliberate and that is wrong on every level."
The Congress is now closed to the media and general public until later today, when Labour social development spokeswoman Carmel Sepuloni is expected to make an announcement about superannuation.
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