Political poll: Jacinda Ardern's Labour down 9%, Todd Muller's National up 9%

Todd Muller talks to Local Focus before knocking Simon Bridges out of National Party leadership. Made with funding from NZ On Air.

A new political poll tonight has Labour with enough support to govern alone despite a 9 percentage point swing from Labour to National.

In the first 1 News Colmar Brunton poll since Todd Muller took over as National leader, his party has risen to 38 per cent support, still well behind Labour on 50 per cent.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was also down 9 percentage points in the preferred PM stakes, but on 54 per cent, was still far higher than Muller on 13 per cent.

Muller told One News he was working hard and focusing on the September 19 election, while Ardern said she remained focused and a lot can change between now and the election.

Those polled were asked about Muller's performance so far; 36 per cent approved, 27 per cent disapproved, while the rest were still making up their mind.

The Greens are up 1 percentage point to 6 per cent, just above the threshold to return to Parliament without an electorate seat.

Act is on 3 per cent and would have four MPs if leader David Seymour won Epsom.

New Zealand First has dropped to 2 per cent and would be out of Parliament unless Shane Jones won the Northland seat.

The Maori Party and the New Conservatives are both on 1 per cent.

For preferred PM, Judith Collins and Winston Peters also featured, both on 2 per cent.

Peters told One News its poll was rubbish.

"Stand back and watch, and see what's going to happen."

Forty one per cent were optimistic about the economic outlook, while 45 per cent were pessimistic.

The poll was taken from June 20 to 24, after the failure to test people in managed isolation came to light and the government announced new criteria for critical workers from overseas to enter New Zealand.

New Zealand First has also been in the headlines for pushing the Auckland light rail decision beyond the election, holding up a previous agreement to ease Covid-related commercial rent pains, and stalling the progress of rape trial reforms that have been criticised as affecting fair trial rights.

And National has slammed the Government over the failure to test people in managed isolation, including calling for Health Minister David Clark to be sacked.

The previous 1 News Colmar Brunton poll added momentum to Muller's challenge for the National Party leadership, which he won last month.

That poll was taken just after New Zealand had moved to alert level 2 and had National on 29 per cent – the lowest number in 15 years.

Former party leader Simon Bridges was on 5 per cent in the preferred PM stakes, well behind Ardern on 63 per cent.

Labour was on 59 per cent, more than enough to govern on its own.