KEY POINTS:
A new opinion poll shows National continuing to hold a strong lead over Labour.
The New Zealand Morgan Poll released today put National on 48.5 per cent support, down half a point since the last Morgan poll a month ago, and Labour down two points to 33 per cent.
The 15.5 point gap comes after a Herald-DigiPoll published on September 29 showed Labour regaining lost ground and closing to within 5.5 points.
Today's poll shows the Green Party doing well, up two points to 9.5 per cent support, while the other minor parties are all below 5 per cent.
New Zealand First was on 3 per cent, United Future 1.5 per cent, ACT 1 per cent and the Maori Party 2.5 per cent.
The poll questioned 820 voters between September 17 and 30, and covered part of the period when National made a series of blunders with poorly prepared policy statements.
Party leader John Key said it showed "a pretty decent gap" between National and Labour but he believed the polls would continue to shift.
"While I watch the polls, my focus is on putting together the right policies and hopefully win the election next year," he said on TV One's Breakfast programme.
"I think New Zealanders can see that National is coming up with some solutions."
Mr Key admitted some of National's moves "weren't too flash" during the last two weeks but said the situation should not be over-stated.
"I expect high standards of myself and the team and I don't think we met them in the last couple of weeks," he said.
- NZPA
