New poll shows little change in support for main political parties

A new opinion poll shows hardly any change in support for the main parties despite the Government having been under pressure in Parliament during the last four weeks.

The National Business Review-Phillips Fox poll published today has Labour down one point to 43 per cent compared with a month ago, and National steady on 34 per cent.

It was taken while ministers were fighting off sustained criticism over the police emergency call system, the wananga scandal and bungled scholarships.

Labour's nine point lead over National is similar to the gap recorded in other recent polls.

Today's poll shows New Zealand First gaining two points to 9 per cent and the Greens up one point to 6 per cent.

The other minor parties show very small changes.

United Future stands on 2.3 per cent, ACT on 1.7 per cent and the Maori Party on 1.6 per cent -- all within the 3.6 per cent margin of error in the survey of 750 voters.

NBR quoted political scientist Nigel Roberts as saying the weather was a factor.

"I think it's been very bad luck for the opposition...the first three parliamentary weeks of the year unfortunately coincided with the very brief summer we've had," said Professor Roberts.

"People may not physically have been on holiday but by God they were mentally on holiday."

- NZPA