04mar02

IT was a case of the new Labor leader meeting the leader of New Labour.

Federal Opposition Leader Simon Crean met British Labour PM Tony Blair today at Mr Blair's $2,200-a-night villa in the Hyatt Regency Resort at Coolum, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Mr Blair was visiting Queensland for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which finishes tomorrow.

Mr Crean and his wife Carole met with Mr Blair and his wife Cherie over coffee and mineral water at the villa, set in the resort's exclusive Ambassador's Club area overlooking one of the resort's golf course lakes.

Mr Blair left after 30 minutes to attend a committee meeting, but Mr and Mrs Crean stayed a little longer to chat with Mrs Blair.

Mr Crean said his meeting with Mr Blair, who has won two elections by broadening Labour's appeal, had been helpful in terms of his plans to modernise the ALP.

"What we need to do is modernise in our own direction," Mr Crean told reporters after the meeting.

"The Labor Party, if it is to represent a modern Australia, has to be modern in its own right."

He said this included modernisation of the party's parliamentary front bench, its approach to government and its policies and party organisation.

Mr Crean said he had discussed two policy areas he wished to develop in the lead-up to the next federal election.

"One is the earned income tax credits - that is a policy mechanism we will follow up on," he said.

"Also, the question of investment in public infrastructure.

"From the domestic economy point of view, that was very useful."

The two leaders also touched on international issues, including Zimbabwe, asylum seekers and the Kyoto environmental protocol.

It was not Mr Crean's first meeting with Mr Blair.

He first met him when Mr Blair was opposition leader and Mr Crean was employment minister in the Keating government.

"I have seen him since he has been PM," Mr Crean said.

"We have a lot to learn from him, but we will adapt it in our own way."