New poll has further bad news for NZ First

Another opinion poll today has brought further bad news for New Zealand First and its leader Winston Peters.

The Fairfax NZ/AC Nielsen survey has put NZ First under the 5 per cent threshold for getting MPs into Parliament without winning an electorate seat.

It is the first time the party has dipped under the cutoff mark, and means it needs Mr Peters to hold on to Tauranga in the September 17 general election to retain parliamentary representation.

However, results released last night from a separate TVNZ poll of 500 Tauranga voters showed Mr Peters 12 percentage points behind local identity and National candidate Bob ("the Builder") Clarkson.

The Fairfax NZ/AC Nielsen poll had better news for National, which moves back into the lead over Labour.

National is up three percentage points from a month ago to 44 per cent support, three points ahead of Labour.

The Greens are right on the threshold at 5 per cent, while United Future is at 2 per cent, and ACT and the Maori Party are at 1 per cent.

National's rise appears linked to its tax policy announced late last month, although 83 per cent of people surveyed said they had already decided by then whom to vote for.

National leader Don Brash's rating as preferred prime minister has also gone up, by five points to 34 per cent.

However, incumbent Helen Clark remains out in front, at 41 per cent.

The poll question 1059 people over a week up to last Wednesday and has a margin of error of 3 per cent.

- NZPA