Gap between National and Labour narrows after Budget

8.00pm

In the wake of last month's Budget, the gap between National and Labour has closed in the latest political poll.

The One News/Colmar Brunton poll had National registering the support of 44 per cent of those polled and Labour 40 per cent.

Colmar Brunton were the first pollsters to register the huge change in political support in New Zealand earlier this year, following National Leader Don Brash's stance on race relations and Treaty of Waitangi issues.

In this month's poll, National fell 3 percentage points and Labour rose 4 points in comparison to last month's poll, which showed National holding on to a steady 10-point margin over the ruling party.

Labour's lift in support came despite the newly-formed Maori party registering in the poll for the first time with 1.5 per cent support.

Most of the other minor parties registered declines, with the exception of United Future, which rose from 1.4 per cent to 2.2 per cent support.

New Zealand First fell from 5 per cent to 2.7 per cent, ACT dropped from 3 per cent to 2.3 per cent, while the Greens were steady on 4 per cent.

Prime Minister Helen Clark's popularity has followed her party's rise in the poll, with 36 per cent of those polled selecting her as preferred prime minister. Dr Brash dropped one point to 31 per cent and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was down two points to 6 per cent.

The poll was taken between 14 and 17 June and has a margin of error of 3.2 per cent.

In late May the Government unveiled its plans to help working families in the Budget.

Other events included the launch of the Maori party following the defection of Tariana Turia from Labour and Rodney Hide's election as ACT leader.

National has been pressing the race issue constantly since Dr Brash questioned the role of the Treaty of Waitangi in society in a speech at Orewa in January.

He said the treaty was now offering favourable treatment based on race.

Today National continued on the same tack, with its fisheries spokesman, Phil Heatley, attacking plans to allocate 20 per cent of marine farms to Maori and 20 per cent of quota taken by New Zealand boats outside the territorial waters.

Helen Clark said through a spokesman there had been "some difficult and complex issues over the past year, but the Government has got on dealing with that and governing."

She was pleased with the poll and said "the trend was very encouraging".

Labour had believed that the Colmar Brunton Poll was a "bit out on a limb" over the gap between National and Labour and this latest poll brought it closer into line with other pollsters.

"The Budget, which was all about making work pay and working families, had clearly been good for the Government, but you can't quarrel with a growing economy and the lowest unemployment in 11 years and there would be some acknowledgement of that coming through in the poll as well."

- NZPA