The National Party still have "100% confidence" in leader Christopher Luxon following the 1News Kantar Public poll results, deputy party leader Nicola Willis has said.
Luxon plunged to 17% in the preferred prime minister rankings in the poll, down 5% from the last 1News poll at the end of January.
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Willis said it's been a couple of "unusual months" in politics, with a change of prime minister and a big focus on the Cyclone Gabrielle response.
"That's as you'd expect but it's not been a time when the spotlight's been on the opposition and we haven't had as many opportunities to be talking about our ideas but over these next seven months until the election, we are going to be pushing forward our vision for New Zealand's future."
Willis said she thinks Luxon is doing a "fantastic" job as leader and the party know he will make a "decisive" prime minister who "gets things done".
She said the party is confident they will see support grow in the lead up to the election, and they will be "working hard for every vote".
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins rose to 27% as preferred prime minister, a 4% jump on his previous result.
According to the poll, which surveyed 1002 eligible voters from March 4 to 8, if an election were held tomorrow, Labour would be likely to attract 36% of the party vote, and National 34%.
Hipkins told 1News Labour was “in this to win this”.
Deputy leader Nicola Willis defended her party leader's falling popularity. (Source: 1News)
“I put my hand up for this job because I thought that we could not only refocus the Government on the issues that matter but go on to win the election.”
New Zealanders wanted the Government to focus on things that mattered to them, such as the cost of living, recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle and floods, Hipkins said.
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