In a speech to Labour's conference in Rotorua, Progressive party leader Mr Anderton pledged his party's support for Labour saying the two parties shared common values and goals.
Mr Anderton backed Phil Goff as Labour leader and said with organisation and recruitment Labour could win the 2011 election.
He believed the electorate had not rejected the last Labour government because of its values.
"They rejected us because they believed we had moved onto other priorities. They tired of controversies, mini-scandals and mistakes we should not have made," Mr Anderton said.
The former Labour party president and MP currently leads the Progressive party and is it sole MP.
Mr Anderton left Labour over the party's economic policy under David Lange and Roger Douglas.
It was a turbulent split, which tore the Labour party apart and Mr Anderton opened his speech today with a joke.
"Its been 21 years since I last spoke at a Labour Party conference. Did anything happen while I was away?"
After leaving Labour, Mr Anderton formed New Labour which later become part of the Alliance.
When the Alliance splintered over the 2002 invasion of Afghanistan, Mr Anderton formed the Progressive party and he continued to sit in the Labour Cabinet.
The party has always been close to Labour - Mr Anderton shares office space with his old party, and Progressive party members were recently allowed to hold dual Labour party membership.
The party is expected to be wound up when Mr Anderton retires, probably at the 2011 election.
NZPA
source: newshub archive
