Rotorua, Sept 12 NZPA - Labour leader Phil Goff says he isn't worried by National's big lead in the opinion polls.

National is ahead by up to 30 percentage points in some surveys and so far since the election Labour hasn't been able to make much of an impact with voters.

Mr Goff was asked by reporters at Labour's annual conference in Rotorua today why voters didn't seem to be listening to Labour.

"I think it's natural after a party has been in power for nine years," he said.

"There's a fresh new government and you're not going to be listened to in the early part of being in opposition. People are going to give the new government the benefit of the doubt."

Mr Goff said the conference, the first Labour has held since losing last year's election and his first as party leader, was about reasserting old Labour values.

"It's about the importance to families of education and health, of having a job, focusing on the things that matter to people," he said.

"There's an upturn in the international economy but the recession isn't over for tens of thousands of New Zealanders still losing their jobs, tens of thousands still struggling to make ends meet."

Mr Goff said the party was "striving continuously" to improve its poll ratings.

"Delegates want to draw a line under the past," he said.

"They're proud of the achievements of the last Labour government, they acknowledge it made mistakes. This conference is about looking forward, it's about renewal."

About 500 delegates are attending the conference and they will hear Mr Goff make his keynote speech tomorrow.

There has been a strong focus on policy development, and well-attended discussion workshops have talked through papers on every portfolio area.

Mr Goff said policies would be well established by the time of the next election, which he aimed to win.