World

Luxon's NZ government loses support of Kiwis

By AAP Newswire

Apr 29, 2024

The honeymoon is over for New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon's government, polling shows. -AAP Image

New Zealand's coalition government would be out of power if an election was held now based on the results of a new poll.

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The honeymoon is over for Chris Luxon's government, with the right-leaning National, ACT and NZ First parties all losing support in the TVNZ-Verian poll released on Monday.

Crucially, Winston Peters' NZ First party fell to four per cent - below the threshold to return MPs - which sunk the coalition's overall numbers.

The National, ACT and NZ First parties have lost support since taking office, polling shows. (Mark Mitchell/AAP PHOTOS)

Opposition parties Labour and the Greens jumped two points, meaning they would be able to govern with the left-wing Maori Party, although an election is not expected until late 2026.

"Our supporters and our MPs are out working very, very hard and I think they'll be encouraged by this," Opposition Leader Chris Hipkins said.

National remains the most popular party with 36 per cent support, Labour is on 30, the Greens 14 and ACT seven, with NZ First and the Maori Party both on four.

In promotional material, TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman promised a poll that would "rock the entire parliament" and the results showed as much.

Ms Sherman claimed it was the earliest that support for the government parties had fallen behind the opposition in recent history.

Labour's last government lost its polling edge in 2022 and 2023 - five years in - while John Key's National-led government and Helen Clark's Labour-led government held sway with voters for even longer.

"That was third-term governance," Ms Sherman said.

"This new coalition is only just getting started so it will certainly hurt.

"Is this buyer's remorse?

"Are voters sitting at home tonight thinking, 'Oh, I'm not too sure' - seeing cuts after cuts, crackdowns after crackdowns day after day and wondering exactly what they may have signed up for?"

The government has characterised its first five months as the start of work on a turnaround job, cutting the public service and many Labour projects as its reckons with a deteriorating budget and a recession.

Support for Mr Luxon has also dropped, with his lead over Mr Hipkins as preferred prime minister down from 10 to seven points.

Chris Hipkins, pictured with Helen Clark, says Labour MPs will be encouraged by the poll results. (Ben McKay/AAP PHOTOS)

The Greens have benefited despite recent scandals, turnover and tragedy.

In the past six months, co-leader James Shaw announced his retirement, newly-elected Auckland MP Efeso Collins died in a charity run and foreign affairs spokeswoman Golriz Ghahraman resigned after being charged with shoplifting.

Another new Greens MP, Darleen Tana, is being investigated after allegations of migrant exploitation in a family business.

New co-leader Chloe Swarbrick has so far proven a hit, moving up to become the third-most-popular preferred prime minister.

The 29-year-old described the results as "pretty cool".

"Based on the sentiment that I've heard out there from New Zealanders, they are frankly fed up with the lack of respect that this government shows for people on the planet," she said.

Mr Hipkins agreed, saying the poll should be a "a real wake-up call" for the government.

"The direction that they are taking the country is not the direction that New Zealanders were looking for when they voted for change at the last election," he said.

Mr Luxon appeared unmoved.

"No disrespect but Chris Hipkins had the last six years in government and he left an unholy mess for our government to pick up," he said.

"Polls will go up and down.

"We're not fixated on them.

"What we are focused on is delivering for New Zealanders."