Judith Collins has opened up about how National dropped "down to the 20s" in internal polling before she became leader, and says she won't step down because the caucus backs her.
Three months into the job, Collins spoke to Magic Talk's Ryan Bridge about the tumultuous role of Opposition leader and how she plans to win an election against a popular incumbent Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
"Leader of the Opposition I've always said to people is the worst job in politics. It was basically thrust upon me by some people who said 'you've just got to do it, Judith, you've just got to do it'."
Collins became National's leader on July 14 following a shock resignation from Todd Muller, who only lasted 53 days after rolling Simon Bridges who took over from Bill English and held the leadership between 2018 and 2020.
Despite the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll showing National on 29.6 percent against Labour on 50.1 percent, Collins insists there is still a path to victory for her party and that she's the right person to lead it.
"I've just found how much fun it is. I mean it's like, there's not a lot of sleep and I don't get much time at home," she laughed.
"But I tell you what, I really love it. I love going out and visiting people, I love doing public meetings - way, way, way, way love public meetings, better than almost anything else."
Bridge asked Collins if that's a bit like the captain of the Titanic saying he loves sailing.
"No, I think that I've been able to - working with the team - rejuvenate and galvanise our base and that is really important. They're out there volunteering all over the country," she said.
"I just think we've got a real chance. Obviously we're not the favourites. We're certainly not the media favourites. But I tell you what, we've got a good chance."
Collins said she's been trying to rally National's base supporters.
"It's always been about the base for me, because I felt - and I knew - that our base had wondered quite where we were going and they needed us to sure it up," she said.
"But from there, to reach out to people who feel very disenchanted with the sort of woke style of Government we have at the moment and felt like they were left behind and not treated with respect."
Collins became National leader 13 weeks from the election and has been hit with internal problems such as Hamish Walker leaking private COVID-19 patient data, Andrew Falloon's scandal, botched budget numbers, and MPs leaking against her.
"I take personal responsibility for everything that I'm doing," Collins said. "I'm not personally responsible for everybody in the party."
Collins said she doesnt' know who it was that leaked National MP Denise Lee's email to Newshub, which showed Lee's frustration at Collins' decision to announce her intention to review Auckland Council without informing her first.
"I don't even know who that is and I think it's important that if anyone is doing that, that they front-up and put their hand up for it," Collins said.
Bridge said he's spoken to National MPs who have a fair idea of who it was.
"Well, you can tell me off air if you like," Collins said. "My view is, I'm not worried about stuff like that. I'm worried about the fact that we have a Government at the moment that could well - if they get back into Government and they're very keen on doing a deal with the Greens - bring in a wealth tax."
Ardern has categorically ruled it out.
In February 2018, when Collins put her hand up for the National leadership, she set herself a performance threshold of 35 percent in the polls if she won.
Collins told Magic Talk that no longer applies because at the time National was polling at 44.5 percent - a time when the party was more steady. Collins said she has no intention of stepping down.
"Why would I do that?" she asked. "That was when we were at 44 and we had just come into Opposition. That was an entirely different situation. When I took over, we were well into the 20s at that stage and we did not have a very good track ahead.
"We got down to the 20s before I took over, I can tell you that, and that was primarily because things looked all a bit strange in the party before I took over. It was pretty low before. We've been fighting back ever since."
She added, "Do you know what? I actually feel very strongly that the caucus would utterly support me and so would the party."
In May National was polling at around 30 percent and in the latest Colmar Brunton poll last week it was on 32 percent, compared to Labour which is hanging around the 50 percent mark.
Despite that, Collins is confident she's clawed back some support.
"Oh, I think you'll find that we have," she said. "I think you'll find that we have and the other thing is if you look at preferred Prime Minister ratings, I'm significantly higher than any of the previous people since Bill English."
The latest Newshub poll showed Collins on 17.7 percent as preferred Prime Minister compared to Ardern on 53.2 percent. It's much higher than Bridges' 4.5 percent when he was leader in May.
Collins revealed what she sees as her path to victory on Saturday.
"If the Greens fall below 5, if National comes up a few more points, if Labour drops down some more points and the ACT Party is there and in a good position where they are at the moment, there is actually a path there," she said.
"It's really important too that New Zealand First isn't around."
