KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister Helen Clark says while a new poll puts National ahead it shows Labour with roughly the same support that saw it into government in 1999.
Today's New Zealand Herald-Digipoll put support for National up 1 percentage point at 51.3 per cent with Labour lagging 13.2 points behind. Last month the gap was 12.4 percentage points in the same poll.
The poll contrasts with a Fairfax Media-Nielsen poll on November 17 which had Labour regaining some of the ground it has lost since John Key became leader of the National Party - a year ago this week.
In that poll Labour scored 40 per cent against National's 45 per cent. In previous Fairfax Media-Nielsen polls, National has held a lead of more than 10 points.
Today's poll would see the Greens and NZ First fail to return to Parliament, unless they won electorates.
Miss Clark told NZPA from Germany that today's poll put Labour within half a point of the result which saw it into government in 1999.
"I don't think anyone believes the National Party are that high, the Greens are too low in that poll," she said.
"But that's polls, they come and go, you look at averages. There's been several polls recently which have been pretty encouraging for Labour averaging up around the 40 per cent mark and that's a very good basis to go into election year on.
"Sure we've got work to do, we've achieved a lot in eight years but we will be setting out new and ambitious plans for the future as well. That's what election year is going to be about."
Miss Clark scored 48.7 per cent (down 2.1 points) in the preferred Prime Minister ranks - still well ahead of Mr Key on 36.7 per cent (down 0.6).
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters achieved 8.1 per cent support - up 3.1 points.
Mr Key told the Herald it would be hard for National to get better poll results - in October it got 51.2 per cent in the same poll.
"One in two New Zealanders are indicating they will vote for National," he said.
"There is obviously never a limit, but there comes a point where it is harder when you are higher up to increase your vote, and maintaining your level of support is important."
New Zealand First polled under 5 per cent and would not make it back unless leader Winston Peters won an electorate seat.
Translated to seats, and assuming party leaders with seats retained them, the poll results would give National 65 seats in a 121-seat Parliament, Labour 49, and the Maori Party four.
Jim Anderton's Progressives, Rodney Hide's Act and Peter Dunne's United Future would have one seat each.
The Greens' support plunged in Auckland, and they would have no MPs in the next Parliament.
This month, the total Green support is 3.5 per cent, but the party had only 0.9 per cent in Auckland, against 4.7 per cent elsewhere. Previously it scored well in Auckland.
Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said was not concerned by one poll but would be if it became a trend.
"The thing that hurts us most is a squeeze between the two big parties and that is certainly going on at the moment.
"The more people get agitated about National-Labour, Labour-National, the more the vote drains away from the Greens."
* The poll of 912 decided voters was conducted between November 8 and Monday. The margin of error was 3.2 per cent.
- NZPA
