Public confidence in both Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Labour leader Chris Hipkins has fallen sharply, according to the latest 1News Verian political poll.
Despite the drop in personal approval ratings for both leaders, party support across the political spectrum remained largely unchanged, with the governing coalition still able to hold power.
If an election had been held today, National, ACT and New Zealand First would have secured 63 seats between them, enough to form a government.
Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori would have reached 60 seats, two more than in the previous poll, but still short of a majority.
Among eligible voters, 38 percent approved of how Luxon was performing as Prime Minister, while 52 percent disapproved and 10 percent were unsure.
That gave Luxon a net score of -14, his lowest since taking office. His previous scores were -5 in June and -7 in March and April.
Hipkins also recorded a slump in support, dropping to a net approval of +1, down from +13 in June and +16 earlier in the year. Forty-two percent approved of his performance as Labour leader, while 41 percent disapproved and 17 percent were undecided.
Party support steady
National remained unchanged on 34 percent, its third consecutive poll at that level.
Labour dropped one point to 32 percent, while the Greens rose to 11 percent. ACT held steady at 8 percent, New Zealand First remained on 9 percent, and Te Pāti Māori slipped to 3 percent.
Based on these results, National would hold 42 seats in Parliament, Labour 40, the Greens 14, New Zealand First 12, ACT 9 and Te Pāti Māori 6.
Preferred Prime Minister
Luxon rose one point to 21 percent in the preferred Prime Minister category, while Hipkins dropped one to 18 percent.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters climbed to 8 percent, Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick increased to 6 percent, and ACT leader David Seymour rose to 5 percent.
