A political poll has failed to show the boost Labour was hoping for from its plan to prevent foreigners buying homes in New Zealand, although the policy does appear to have arrested the party's fall.
Labour has held steady at 33 per cent in the latest One News Colmar Brunton poll, after dropping several points in the Herald-DigiPoll, 3News Reid Research, and Roy Morgan polls in the past few weeks. About three-quarters of the 1000 respondents were polled after Labour announced its new housing policy two Sundays ago.
The Green Party was the big winner, lifting from 9 per cent to 14. After several weeks of debate and protest over the GCSB Bill, National fell to 46 per cent - down three points since the May poll.
Prime Minister John Key's rating as preferred prime minister fell one point to 41 per cent, indicating he is escaping blame for the controversies.
Further speculation over David Shearer's leadership and the push for women-only selections could also have affected Labour's polling, despite his move to force the party to drop the "man ban". Mr Shearer went up one point as preferred prime minister to 13 per cent.
