'I never was a believer in notion of stardust': Jacinda Ardern on polls

Labour Party Leader Jacinda Ardern. New Zealand Herald photograph by Nick Reed

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern says she remains confident the election will go down to the wire - despite a poll putting National in a position to govern alone.

Ardern spoke to media in Nelson today and after last night's Newshub Reid Research poll had National up four points from a week ago to 47.3 per cent, with Labour on 37.8 per cent.

"We have remained fairly consistent. Of course though, I want to see our party vote lift. And we will continue to campaign every day until the election to make that happen. I remain confident that this is going to be a tight race. There are other polls that show the reverse result of this one. I think it's going to be down to the wire."

A 1 News Colmar Brunton poll last Thursday night had Labour on 43 per cent, with National slipping to 39 per cent.

Ardern said voter turnout would be crucial.

"If turnout lifts we will achieve that [a change of government]."

Asked if National Party leader Bill English's claim that the "stardust" around the Labour leader had settled, Ardern said she was never sure what the term meant.

"I never was a believer in this notion of stardust, unless you mean the 1980s version of Jem and the Holograms."

The Newshub poll was bad news for the Green Party which was down below the vital 5 per cent threshold on 4.9 per cent - just short of the vote needed to return to Parliament if the election night result is the same.

Ardern dismissed questions about whether Labour could stand aside in an electorate to ensure the Greens make it back into Parliament.

"They have ruled it out, and we have ruled it out. Whilst we have always been clear that we share values and a desire to change the government, we have each said we will run our own campaigns.

"What I have seen in other polls, there is a lot of movement and I just don't accept that that will be the final result for the Greens."

Since taking over as leader Ardern has focused on issues that are core policy areas for the Greens, including climate change and clean rivers.