Scandals hurt Act in the polls

Act leader Rodney Hide. Photo / Steven McNicholl

The resignation of former Act MP David Garrett after revelations he got a false passport using a dead child's identity and the ousting of former deputy leader Heather Roy has hurt support for the party, the latest One News Colmar Brunton poll shows.

In the poll released tonight, Act was down from 2.7 per cent in August to 1.1 per cent.

National had gained popularity since August, with support for Prime Minister John Key and the party up while Labour was down 3 points to 32.

With National up 5 per cent to 54 in the recent poll on party votes, the gap between the two biggest parties has grown to 22 points.

The Greens were up 1 per cent to 8 per cent.

New Zealand First remained largely unchanged, up from 2.3 per cent to 2.4 per cent, and the Maori Party were stagnant on 2.3 per cent.

On those results, and assuming electorate seats remained unchanged, National could govern alone with 67 seats, Labour would get 40, Greens nine, Maori five and ACT, United Future and Progressive one each.

Mr Key was up 7 points to 52 in the preferred prime minister stakes. Labour leader Phil Goff was down one to 8 per cent.

The poll questioned 1007 eligible voters between September 18 and 22. The margin of error was 3.1 per cent,

Mr Garrett resigned from ACT and eventually from Parliament after the news broke that he got the fake passport 26 years ago and was discharged without conviction for the offence in 2005.

- NZPA