Poll: opposition leader advancing on New Zealand PM, Helen Clark

February 18, 2007

John Key, leader of New Zealand's political opposition party, National party, is advancing as the preferred Prime Minister (PM), and is very close to the same percentage of Helen Clark, current PM of New Zealand, according to a recent ONE News Colmar Brunton Poll.

Mr Key is 27%, and Ms Clark is on 32%.

Mr Key's party, National, is currently beating the main party in New Zealand, Labour by 7%. National is on 46%, and Labour is on 39%. And, following the trend of the 3 News TNS poll, the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is also gaining support, and is on seven percent, which would enable them to control who the government would be. The rise in support is suggested to be because of global warming.

However the same 3 News TNS poll which showed an increase in support for the Greens, had Labour in the lead, with National trailing.

The other political parties do not cover the required threshold of five percent to enter parliament, unless they win an electorate. The Māori Party is on three percent; New Zealand First on two percent; ACT New Zealand on one percent; and United Future New Zealand also on one percent.

Winston Peters is on three percent for preferred PM.

The One News Colmar Brunton Poll, with a 3.1% margin of error, polled 1,000 eligible voters.