Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Tūrangawaewae Marae for Koroneihana celebrations for the coronation of Kiingi Tuuheitia. Photo / RNZ
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at Tūrangawaewae Marae for Koroneihana celebrations for the coronation of Kiingi Tuuheitia. Photo / RNZ
Support is holding for the coalition Government, according to the latest 1News Verian poll.
National, Act and New Zealand First all recorded the same level of support as the last poll in June. National came in at 38%, Act on 7% and NZ First on 6%.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has had a surge in popularity over Chris Hipkins in the preferred PM ratings.
He had increased five percentage points to 28%. Hipkins was on 18%, the same as the last poll.
It comes as Luxon is forced to restate National’s commitment to not support Act’s Treaty Principles Bill into law amid strong opposition from iwi leaders at this year’s Koroneihana.
Hipkins said it was still “early days”, believing people weren’t focusing on the election yet.
The poll was conducted between August 10-14, which followed the introduction of the Government’s tax cuts. The poll featured 1001 voters who were polled via phone and online forums. The margin of error was 3.1 percentage points.
The poll also asked respondents whether they believed the Government’s policies were increasing racial tensions.
About half, 46%, believed the policies did increase tensions, about 10% said the Government was reducing tensions, while 37% felt the policies had made no difference.
The previous 1News Verian poll in June had National at 38%, Act on 7% and NZ First on 6% - enough to give the current coalition partners 64 seats and enough to form a Parliament.
Labour had dropped to 29%. The Green Party was on 13% and Te Pāti Māori on 3%.
Luxon held the preferred PM in the June poll with 23% support. Hipkins was on 18% with Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick on 6%.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (right) and Act leader David Seymour hold different positions on the Treaty Principles Bill. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Luxon today had to brace himself against bitter wind and rain as well as bitter criticism of some of the Government’s policies as he attended the annual Koroneihana celebrations for the Māori King, Kīngi Tūheitia.
Several iwi leaders spoke on the atea [courtyard] of Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia, much of which concerned the coalition Government’s commitment to introduce Act’s Treaty Principles Bill that aimed to redefine Te Tiriti’s principles.
Waikato Tainui’s Tukoroirangi Morgan was blunt in his assessment of the Government, claiming it had taken a wrecking ball to Māori policies.
He expressed concern Act’s bill could progress past its first reading, despite the coalition agreement stating National would only support it to that stage.
Morgan called on Luxon to confirm it would go no further. If National wasn’t supportive, it was highly likely the bill wouldn’t progress as Opposition parties didn’t support it.
Luxon obliged, restating what had been agreed between the two parties. He pointed to the growing tension concerning race relations, saying the coming months would be intense.
Act leader David Seymour did not attend Koroneihana, reportedly citing that this week was a Parliament sitting week and as such, he could not attend.
Leaders and MPs from National, Labour, NZ First, the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori were in attendance.
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
