Labour support slips in new NZ poll, but could still govern alone

Plenty to smile about in the latest opinion poll … a sneak preview of this week’s Ponsonby News cover with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Labour’s Auckland Central front runner candidate Helen White sharing a coffee chat in a local cafe. Already the cover is stirring some controversy before the edition is even out. Image: PMC screenshot

By RNZ News

With just under three weeks until the election, Newshub’s new political poll shows the gap is closing between Labour and National, but Labour could still govern alone.

The Newshub Reid Research Poll had Labour at 50.1 percent – down 10 percent on the last poll – but well above National at 29.6 percent.

ACT is on 6.3 percent and the Greens are at 6.5 percent. NZ First is at 1.9 percent.

NZ ELECTIONS 2020 – 17 October

On those figures, Labour would have 65 seats in Parliament, National 38, and the Greens and ACT eight each.

As for the minor parties, the New Conservatives are polling at 2.1 percent, the Māori party at 1.5 percent and The Opportunities Party at .9 percent.

In the preferred prime minister stakes, Jacinda Ardern is on 53.2 percent and Judith Collins is on 17.7 percent.

Last week’s TVNZ Colmar Brunton poll had Labour at 48 percent, National on 31 percent, ACT on 7 percent, Greens on 6 percent and NZ First on 2 percent.

The cover of the October edition of Ponsonby News, the main local community publication in Auckland Central. Image: PMC screenshot

Newshub’s last poll in late July had on 60.9 percent and National at 25.1 percent.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will face National Leader Judith Collins in the second leaders debate on Wednesday night, this time on television Three.

The election date is October 17.

New Zealand reported two new cases of covid-19 today, both in managed isolation.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said there were no new cases in the community.

One of the new imported cases is a person who arrived on a flight from Germany on September 21 via the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. The other arrived in New Zealand on a flight from the Philippines via Taiwan on September 23.

This article is republished by the Pacific Media Centre under a partnership agreement with RNZ.