New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says hitting the threshold to get into Parliament in the latest 1News Verian poll is no surprise, claiming: “We’re way past 5% already.”
Tonight’s poll puts NZ First up 1% to 5%, meaning a return to Wellington after the party missed out in the 2020 election.
However, also on tonight’s numbers, he won’t be in a position to make up the next government, with National and ACT gaining a combined 62 seats.
In a typically bullish mood, he brushed off the significance of the result.
“We did that a long time ago, polls are usually behind events and this is another example of it.”
He said the turnout he was getting at meetings around the country had left him convinced a return to Parliament was on the cards.
“Those polls are of no matter to us, we’re talking to real people because they’ll decide this election.”
On tonight’s poll numbers, Christopher Luxon won’t need NZ First to form a government, and the National Party leader is sticking to his line that partnering with NZ First is not something he’s thinking about.
He has consistently refused to rule working with Peters in or out.
“Look I haven’t given it any thought, he’s not in Parliament, he hasn’t been above thresholds, what I’m focused on is maximising the National Party vote as the National Party leader,” he said.
“I’m very confident on the other side, the system the New Zealand people will give me to work with — MMP — I’ll make it work and I’ll make it work I think very strongly with the ACT Party. We’ve got a lot aligned around and we can be very successful.”
ACT, National’s potential coalition partner on these numbers, has previously said it won’t work with Peters and NZ First.
That’s a stance leader David Seymour maintained today.
“He’s really got little if anything to offer for the hopes and aspirations that Kiwis have.”
He wasn't concerned about ACT's poll drop, and said it hadn't been affected by the loss of five candidates recently, some in controversial circumstances.
Labour’s Chris Hipkins said Peters was a “force for chaos” and should he be in a position to join a National-ACT-NZ First government, Peters and Seymour would “run circles around Christopher Luxon”.
Despite another poor poll, Hipkins remained positive.
“I’m just getting started, I’m thoroughly enjoying getting on the campaign trail, I’m getting great feedback on the ground.
“They’ve heard a lot from National over the last few months, they’re pleased to hear what we’re having to offer.”
Greens co-leader James Shaw said his party’s numbers were up on where they were in 2020, which was encouraging.
He said some of the rhetoric Peters had used on the campaign trail was “even more unhinged than anything he has said in previous campaigns”.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said they were happy advocating for their community.
“While everyone else is in disarray, scraping to try and prove who they are, we’ve been really adamant about what we stand for and most importantly what our goals are for Aotearoa.”
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