Latest poll gives Labour nine-point lead

National leader Don Brash, seen today inspecting a super yacht under construction in Henderson, Auckland, fared poorly in the new poll. Ross Land / Getty Images

The Labour Party has swept ahead of National in a new poll that also has the Greens as the third largest party in Parliament.

A 3 News TNS poll has Labour up six points to 45 per cent support -- nine points ahead of National which has slipped five points to 36 per cent.

Volatility in the polls is showing through as this poll contrasts with a One News-Colmar Brunton poll published three days ago that gave National an eight-point lead over Labour.

Tonight's poll also sees New Zealand First losing a point to sit on 5 per cent support with the Green Party gaining a point to capture 7 per cent of the vote.

Act was up a point to 2.4 per cent, United Future was virtually unchanged on 1.5 per cent support while the Maori Party stayed the same on 1.7 per cent support.
Under this poll, Labour would have 57 seats, National 45, NZ First six, the Green Party eight, Maori Party two, United Future two and Progressives one seat.

A Labour/Progressives/Green government would have a clear majority.

The figures are based on the Progressives, United Future and the Maori Party each winning an electorate seat, so there would be an overhang of one seat in a 121-seat Parliament.

The poll has Labour leader Helen Clark gaining in the preferred prime minister stakes, up two to 39 per cent support.

National leader Don Brash lost two points in the popularity stakes to be the preferred prime minister of 21 per cent.

NZ First leader Winston Peters was on 9 per cent, down one.

When Helen Clark's performance was judged, 65 per cent (unchanged on last month's poll) said she had performed well.

Dr Brash was thought to have performed well by 42 per cent.

The poll, of about 1000 voters, was conducted from September 1 to 6 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent.

- NZPA