Support for New Zealand's Opposition Labour Party has fallen to its lowest level in over three years, an opinion poll published on Friday shows.
But the poll also isn't good news for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, whose favourability is tanking.
"Thirty-nine percent of voters (-5 points) have a favourable view of Christopher Luxon while 44 percent (+11 points) have an unfavourable view for a net favourability of -5 percent (down 16 points on last month)," the poll said.
Commissioned by the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union, the Curia Market Research poll put support for Labour, ousted from power last year, at 25.3 percent at the start of March - down 2.6 points in a month. The National Party, which leads the governing Coalition, was on 37.4 percent - down 2.2 points from February.
It was the lowest support the Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll had recorded for Labour since January 2021, when it began tracking support for New Zealand's political parties. Curia also carries out National's internal polling.
"National is down one seat on last month to 48 while Labour is down two seats to 32. The Greens overtake ACT with 15 seats (up four) to the latter's 13 (down four)," said the Taxpayers' Union.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins, the former Prime Minister, has said his party was taking stock after last year's loss - telling TVNZ it would be taking a "fresh platform" to the next election.
But while Labour was down in this poll, Hipkins' favourability had risen to 38 percent - up 3 points from last month.
For the poll, Curia interviewed 1000 adults - 800 by phone and 200 by online panel - between March 3 and 5.
The slump in support for Labour has worked in the Green Party's favour, which was up 2.3 points to 11.3 percent. Similarly, National's drop saw Coalition partner NZ First rise 2.4 points to 7.4 percent.
