In the preferred-PM stakes, National leader Christopher Luxon and his Labour counterpart Chris Hipkins are both on 20%, down three points and one point respectively.<\/p>\n
NZ First leader Winston Peters is up a point to 10%, while the Greens\u2019 Chl\u00f6e Swarbrick is steady on 5% and Act\u2019s David Seymour is down a point to 4%.<\/p>\n
The poll comes after a difficult week for the coalition, which had to bat away accusations it was introducing a \u201cgas tax\u201d for Kiwis<\/a>, as the new liquified natural gas (LNG) levy was labelled by the Labour Party.<\/p>\n The announcement of a new LNG import terminal, which the Government said would ultimately lead to lower power bills for New Zealand households, became a debate over whether the levy on power companies was a tax or not<\/a>. <\/p>\n There were also questions over the Trade Minister\u2019s characterisation of elements of the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement<\/a>. NZ First isn\u2019t supporting it, meaning Labour\u2019s backing will be pivotal.<\/p>\n The 1News-Verian poll from December had National on 36% (up two points), Labour on 35% (up three points), Act on 10% (up two points), New Zealand First steady on 9% and the Greens were down four points that month to 7%. <\/p>\n December\u2019s poll<\/a> also had Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori dropping to 1% after months of internal fighting and public disputes that culminated in two of its MPs being ousted. <\/p>\n A year before the party hit 7% amid the highs of the landmark h\u012bkoi to Parliament and haka in the House. At the 2023 election, Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori <\/a>won six of the seven M\u0101ori seats. <\/p>\n