Mr Little spoke at the Southern Labour Party conference yesterday, at the Country Club in Milton.
Others present at the two day event, which started on Saturday, included Dunedin South MP Clare Curran and Dunedin North MP David Clark.
Mr Little addressed the 45 strong crowd from the southern electorates and said this year was important for Labour, as it celebrated its centennial year.
"It's 100 years that we have been fighting that fight for equality ... social equity and supporting the institutions,'' he said.
Over the time leading up to the next general election, Labour would stick to four or five core issues, including improving education, health services and social equity.
Mr Little wanted to bring back the "Kiwi Dream'' for young people to be able to afford their own home, which he believed New Zealanders were being denied.
Average annual incomes were not increasing at the rate of inflation, while chief executives were exceeding it.
He said because government ministers did not associate with those struggling on a lower wage or salary, they were more likely to think everything was all right.
"They're desperate to prove there is no [poverty] problem.''
He said New Zealand could be successful only when everyone got the chance to succeed, regardless of who they were or where they came from.
He also criticised the government's lack of response to links to the Panama Papers and its support of the TPP.
He was proud of Labour's work on the Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill and also its policy on tertiary education, which would provide three years of free post-school education.
He said Labour faced a challenge, but believed with a focused caucus it could succeed.
"I am confident about our ability next year to win the confidence of New Zealand of a message that says we can do better than this, because we are better than this.''
