Today’s 1News Verian poll has solidified New Zealand First and Winston Peters as likely kingmaker after Saturday’s general election, but the veteran politician says no-one in his party is getting smug.
On today’s numbers the right bloc of National and ACT are on a combined 58 seats, and the left — Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori — on 54.
New Zealand First’s eight seats would put it firmly in the kingmaker position, as it has been for the past few weeks across 1News’ regular polls in the lead-up to election day.
Peters said there was no “white line fever” in his campaign, despite their position of strength.
Winston Peters vows his party won't drop the ball in the final days of the election campaign. (Source: 1News)
“We’ve kept focus and we’ll keep on going until 6pm on Friday night,” he said.
“But the reality is these polls are behind the times, we know that, positively.
“We’re not being smug about this, it’s been a hard grind around the country, but we always knew, not like the rest on TV eating ice cream and sausage rolls and photo opportunities, we’d go and see the people and speak to them.”
The Greens could be bringing 17 MPs with them, according to the poll results, with co-leader James Shaw saying people were responding to the party’s tax policy.
“Having a fairer tax system we'll be able to ensure we’re able to pay for dental care for everyone, not just people under the age of 30, that we’re going into bat for renters and then, when it comes to the cost of living crisis, we are on their side,” he said.
Climate change and the state of the oceans were also a concern for people.
Shaw said he was “worried” about ACT’s role in a potential right-leaning coalition government with National and NZ First and whether it would see a “transfer of power and wealth away from our most vulnerable and precarious people in our community towards the wealthiest”.
Seymour 'not concerned'
ACT has consistently gone down over the past few 1News Verian polls, today’s 11 seats is down from 17 on August 21.
Leader David Seymour said he wasn’t concerned by hitting single digits — 9% — saying he trusted that New Zealanders realised the country couldn’t continue on the same path and ACT was crucial in changing direction.
“The commentary should be left to the experts, I’m here to give people a choice for real change in this election.”
He didn’t think ACT was bleeding votes to NZ First, while he claimed Greens were showing a lot of “anger and attacking” but not enough “solutions".
There are mixed fortunes for the minor parties, with the Greens enjoying their highest support for more than six years. (Source: 1News)
After a few weeks of stagnation, Labour is up two points to 28%. Leader Chris Hipkins said there was some “real momentum” building, with a big ground campaign out in force encouraging people — including undecided voters — to cast their ballot.
He said people could see “National’s numbers don’t add up”.
“They can also see they are being swindled, very few New Zealanders will benefit from the maximum amount of National’s proposed tax cuts, but every New Zealander will pay for them. And I think they can see that.”
While a two-party National/ACT coalition had slipped from grasp, Christopher Luxon wasn’t worried the right bloc was losing momentum. His party is up one point to 37% in today's poll.
He said there was a massive mood for change. “People just think there’s a government after six years that hasn’t delivered for them."
He said it was “way too premature” to consider Peters as a potential deputy prime minister.
Te Pāti Māori will return to parliament with two seats, should Rawiri Waititi hold his Waiariki seat.
"Don’t allow your fate to be left in the hands of others," he urged voters. "We must get off our butts, we must get off the couch, we must go and vote."
Should they return to parliament, Waititi was expecting a call "from either Chris".
"Whether we answer or not, that’s another question. That will be determined by our own people."
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