Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is adamant Labour won't be cutting a deal with NZ First in Northland if Winston Peters' party needs a boost to cross the 5-percent threshold.
The latest Newshub Reid Research poll showed Labour and National neck and neck - with National on 43.3 percent and Labour at 42.5 - with the Prime Minister declaring the "race is on".
But despite the results showing a slip down to 3.6 percent for coalition partner NZ First, Ardern says she's not considering cutting a deal with Winston Peters' party in Northland if it looks doubtful the party will make the 5-percent threshold needed to get into Parliament.
"I haven't done deals in the past, I see no reason to do them," Ardern told The AM Show on Monday.
"Also it does a bit of a disservice to New Zealand First to claim that it's just a question of what Labour would do with them. They haven't asked. They haven't tended to operate on that basis either - so no that's not something that's on the cards, that's not something that New Zealand First has sought."
The Prime Minister said the Newshub-Reid Research poll differed from Labour's internal polling, particularly in regards to support for NZ First.
"Our's certainly doesn't have New Zealand First where this one does."
Ardern also said she was confident NZ First would get enough party votes to make it into Parliament on their own steam.
"I haven't seen them move under the threshold really for quite some time."
Labour's other coalition partner, the Greens, also slipped slightly in the poll, down 0.7 percentage points to 5.6 percent.
When asked which party she would prefer to be in Government with, Ardern wouldn't comment - saying she was campaigning only for her own party.
"My job is to get the biggest share possible for Labour. We've demonstrated that we can form a stable, constructive, productive Government," she said.
"New Zealanders really understand MMP and they're very strategic," she added.
"Not only do people make choices that are pretty strategic, we also have the ability to work with what they deliver us."
Ardern announced last month the election would be held on September 19.
