Labour has overtaken National in the latest Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll, with Chris Hipkins edging ahead of Christopher Luxon as preferred Prime Minister—while New Zealand First takes a hit.
Labour jumps 2.8 points to 34.1%, passing National, which rises 1.7 points to 33.6%. The Greens fall to 10% (-3.2), ACT drops to 7.7% (-2.3), while Te Pāti Māori climbs to 6.5% (+2.1). NZ First slips to 5.1% (-1.3).
The centre-left now holds 62 seats, enough to govern, as the centre-right falls to 58—continuing a trend of government support declining.
Hipkins leads as preferred PM at 20.7% (+3.1), while Luxon drops to 20.3% (-0.4). Seymour, Peters, and Swarbrick also see declines.
NZ First co-leader Shane Jones says PM rankings are the National Party’s concern, while Winston Peters urges his party to stay the course.
“Focus on what we promised to deliver in the election and endeavor to maintain faith and confidence in the minds of our Kiwi voters that what we said we would deliver on we shall demonstrate concrete proof come the election time,” says Jones.
