Tauranga's newly-elected New Zealand First Party electorate chairman, Brendan Horan, anticipates a ‘cracker' speech from leader Winston Peters at the party's annual conference in Christchurch this weekend.

Brendan Horan is looking forward to a strong speech from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at the party's annual conference this weekend.

Brendan will attend the two day conference and says there are always a few surprises in Winston's speech on the final day.

The conference will centre on party policy and campaign strategy for the 2011 general election.

The former TV1 weather man says he has seen Tauranga families struggling to cope in hard economic conditions and that will be his major focus at the conference.

'With GST increases it's severely affecting people. People are slowly waking up and hurting from it, but it's a shame that it's going to take more pain before New Zealand really does wake up.”

Brendan says he also wants to fight an emerging sense of ‘mediocrity' among New Zealanders.

'Our country has gone from greatness to mediocrity in one generation and that's under the leadership of both National and Labour.”

Brendan campaigned for a seat on Tauranga City Council during the recent local body elections but was not elected.

He is now considering standing as the local New Zealand First candidate in Tauranga at the 2011 general election.

'I haven't decided yet. I'm considering standing. I'm terribly disappointed with the way New Zealand is headed.”