Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says "the plan is starting to work" after a new poll showed his Government is still in the driving seat.
If the results of the latest 1News Verian poll were repeated at an election, the coalition Government would retain its power with 64 total seats — albeit down from the 68 it currently holds in Parliament.
Luxon has risen 5% as the preferred prime minister, his biggest lift since taking on the role.
He told Breakfast this morning that he didn't pay "too much attention" to polls.
"I'm here to do a job," Luxon said. "As I said before the election, we're implementing our plan, we're getting on with it, we're getting the country sorted – and so yeah, to be honest, I don't pay too much attention to it. I'm just getting on with the job.
"I think we're actually performing really well."
He later added: "I think the plan is starting to work."
Luxon pointed to the Government's policies on the economy, crime, health and education.
"I think we've got a strong, stable coalition, we're getting on with the things that Kiwis care about.
"My job is to make sure I put the right ministers on the right assignments; that I'm really clear about what I expect from them; I support them; I focus them; and we actually get on with the plan."
Based on the poll numbers, were a vote held today, Luxon's National Party would still need the support of David Seymour's ACT Party and Winston Peters' New Zealand First to govern.
Iain Lees-Galloway and Liam Hehir joined Breakfast to discuss the latest numbers. (Source: Breakfast)
"We're in an MMP environment," Luxon said. "That's the electoral system that the New Zealand people have voted for several times now.
"That means that you get coalition governments, that requires that you have compromise, that's how the system's designed.
"I'm proud of our coalition Government — we are very, very focused on the things that matter to New Zealanders."
Not a lot of people focused on politics — Hipkins
Labour leader Chris Hipkins was yesterday asked why the coalition remained steady in the polling, despite his efforts as opposition leader.
He said this year was Labour was "listening" when asked whether he was doing enough in being the opposition to the Government.
On Luxon's improved preferred prime minister numbers, Hipkins said: "You'd expect the Prime Minister, who's on the news every day to be more visible than the Leader of the Opposition who isn't. I think that these numbers just simply reflect that."
Labour, National-aligned experts unpack the poll
Former Labour minister Iain Lees-Galloway and National member Liam Hehir also joined Breakfast to discuss the latest numbers.
Hehir said Luxon's popularity boost "comes down to a steady accumulation of presence in office, time in office, growing into the job, looking a bit more like the prime minister and people becoming used to him as the prime minister".
"We don't have, at the moment, two overly charismatic leaders," he added.
"It's the type of poll that's ambiguous enough that everyone can look at it and see what they want to see.
"The coalition says, 'Look, we're ahead despite all the bad economic times'.
"The opposition can say, 'Look, hey, we're right in the credibility zone'."
Lees-Galloway said he believed Hipkins would be happy with the numbers.
"It's a difficult time for opposition to get cut-through — all the news is about the Government.
"The opposition parties, all three of them, will be happy that they're holding."
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