The Coalition Government remains on track to govern in the latest Taxpayers’ Union Curia Poll, but the margin between the two blocs has tightened, even as Christopher Luxon overtakes Chris Hipkins in the race for Preferred Prime Minister.

National has nudged up 0.2 points to 30.0 percent, while Labour has slipped 1.5 points to 31.9 percent. ACT has taken the biggest hit on the right, dropping 2.5 points to 6.5 percent, and New Zealand First is down 1.9 points to 11.7 percent.

The Greens are the biggest movers, gaining 1.9 points to land on 9.7 percent, while Te Pāti Māori is up 1.5 points to 4.1 percent.

Among the minor parties, TOP sits at 2.8 percent, the New Conservatives 0.8 percent, the Outdoors and Freedom Party 0.5 percent and Vision NZ 0.3 percent.

The result puts the projected Government Bloc of National, ACT and New Zealand First on a combined 62 seats, down three. The Opposition Bloc of Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori is up three to 58 seats.

Labour drops one seat to 41, while National picks up two to land on 39. New Zealand First loses two seats to sit on 15, the Greens add two to reach 12, ACT drops three to eight, and Te Pāti Māori gains two to five.

In the Preferred Prime Minister stakes, Luxon has reclaimed top spot, gaining 1.0 point to 21.5 percent and pulling 2.5 points clear of Hipkins, who drops 2.7 points to 19.0 percent. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters falls 0.5 points to 11.6 percent, Greens co leader Chlöe Swarbrick is down 2.0 points to 5.4 percent, and ACT leader David Seymour drops 0.7 points to 3.9 percent.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said the result would give National some breathing room but warned the coming Budget would be pivotal.

“National may be breathing a sigh of relief, but there’s still only a hair’s breadth between the left and right blocs, and barely a few percentage points between Kiwis’ preferred Prime Ministers,” Relf said.

“The final Budget before the election is only a few weeks away. It will be make or break for the Government.”

She said the cost of living and the economy continued to dominate voters’ concerns.

“Unsurprisingly cost of living and the economy remain Kiwis’ top concerns. With the fuel crisis still dragging growth down, the Government needs to announce serious plans to right size the state and get the country growing again,” Relf said.