UPDATED 3:20pm: Labour's leader, and Labour's Christchurch MPs, have been given a warm welcome to the Green Party's annual general meeting in Christchurch.

Andrew Little received a warm welcome from Green Party members who stood and clapped as he took the podium at the meeting, being held in Christchurch.

He told the Green Party AGM the possibility of an alternative government will return hope and optimism for New Zealanders.

"One that builds on the things that we are proudest about in our country and that removes the barriers which stop us living up to our potential."

Greens co-leader Metiria Turei said she's enjoyed working with Andrew Little over the past 12 months, and is looking forward to the next 12.

"A historic moment in New Zealand politics..today for the first time we welcome the leader of the Labour Party, Andrew Little, to our conference."

After a lighthearted start to his speech, Mr Little told the meeting that together, the two parties will fix homelessness.

"We can chose a better way, and we can choose to lift people out of homelessness and together that's exactly what we will do."

Mr Little told both Green and Labour representatives that their alternative government would be built on a new politics of inclusion, ambition and optimism.

The Labour Party's presence at the Green Party AGM follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two parties, which were vowing to take down the government with their combined power at the next election.