Christopher Luxon says the cost of living crisis is driving National's newfound popularity after the party soared past Labour in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll.
Labour's vote plummeted 6.1 points, down to 38.2 percent in Tuesday's poll - its first tumble into the 30s since Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister in 2017.
Meanwhile National shot past Labour, cracking the 40 percent mark. It's now at 40.5 percent, up a whopping 9.2 points, reaching close to its pre-pandemic heights.
That means ACT's reality check has bedded in. It's at 6.4 percent, down 1.6.
The Greens are on the descent too, at 8.4 percent, down 1.2 points.
Bucking the minors' trend, the Māori Party is up a nudge, at 2.5 percent, up 0.5.
Speaking with AM on Wednesday, Luxon said the results are "pretty encouraging".
"I think what they [results] speak to is that the New Zealand public is really feeling this cost of living crisis that we have been feeling for some time now. They are struggling to get ahead and that's really what's driving a lot of this."
But Luxon said he's not getting ahead of himself over the results.
"We don't get too excited about it, there's been a number of polls that have come through and what they're saying is that we are making progress over the last few months. But really I think the drivers for what's happening is the public are feeling it's a Government that is all spin and doesn't get things done."
Cost of living has been a thorn in Ardern's side for the past few weeks. The Prime Minister drew heavy criticism after initially refusing to call the spike in costs a crisis.
While she eventually conceded it is, National latched onto the criticism repeatedly campaigning on the issue and promising tax cuts if elected.
But Labour hit back pointing out National's proposed tax cuts would see wealthy New Zealanders save thousands while someone on the median income could only get a few dollars a week.
When asked about Labour's dismal poll results on Tuesday, Ardern said they reflect the global instability facing the country.
"These results reflect what has been a really hard time," she told Newshub.
"It has been a really difficult period for New Zealand and then of course, by default, that makes it a difficult period to govern through.
Ardern's popularity has also taken a hit with her preferred Prime Minister rating dropping to 36.6 percent, down seven points.
National leader Christopher Luxon is gaining. He's up 6.1 points to 23.9 percent. It's still nowhere near Ardern but he's now the most popular leader National's had since Sir Bill English.
ACT leader David Seymour is the only other politician properly registering, though he's tumbled down 2.9 points to 5.1 percent.
"There will be from time to time tough decisions that need to be made and if that means that we take a bit of a hit in the numbers, so long as we stand by all of the decisions we've made - and we do - then that's a price we're willing to pay," Ardern said.
