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Support for National falls in latest poll

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 21 Dec 2016, 4:43PM
Prime Minister Bill English and Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Prime Minister Bill English and Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Support for National falls in latest poll

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 21 Dec 2016, 4:43PM

National has taken a hit in the first opinion poll taken since John Key announced his decision to quit as Prime Minister.

The party's rating has dropped 4.5 percent in the latest Roy Morgan poll. It's now on 45 percent, putting it just ahead of the Labour/Greens bloc.

The poll was carried out between November 28 and December 11, covering the week before Mr Key's shock resignation and the following week which saw Jonathan Coleman and Judith Collins contest Mr Key's eventual successor Bill English for the leadership.

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper said Labour won't be entirely happy with the result, because it's still below 30 percent, at 28.5. However it's up 5.5 percent from its dismal showing of 23 percent last month.

The poll also shows support for a Labour/Green alliance is up to 43 per cent and an election held now would have a close result.

New Zealand First has taken a slight dip to 7.5 percent, which still leaves Winston Peters as the kingmaker.

The polls also showed support for National's partners was down - the Maori Party at 1 per cent, ACT at 0.5 per cent and United Future at zero.

"If new PM Bill English is to successfully contest next year's New Zealand election and win a fourth term for the National Government he will need to come up with new policies in the area of Housing to convince New Zealand electors he deserves his own mandate as prime minister," Roy Morgan executive chairman Gary Morgan said of the results.

Confidence is down and the poll shows housing is the biggest problem facing New Zealanders.

The 872 Kiwis surveyed were also asked whether New Zealand was heading in the right direction. While 58.5 per cent agreed it was, 27.5 per cent said no, a figure that's on the rise.

- Additional reporting by NZ Newswire

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