National retains support in latest poll

A year after the elections, the popularity of Prime Minister John Key and his National Government remains high.

The latest Herald-DigiPoll survey shows the Nats have more support now than on election night despite a series of controversial issues during the polling period.

In the survey the party had 57 percent support, 12 points higher than its election result of 45 percent.

The result would give National 73 seats in Parliament, well clear of the 60 it would need to govern, the New Zealand Herald said.

The paper said the rise in National fortunes continued in spite of its messy handling of the television rights to the Rugby World Cup, moves to open ACC to competition, and cuts in the health sector.

Labour struggled 20 points behind National on 32 percent, slightly lower than its election-night result of 34 percent.

Mr Key was the preferred choice of prime minister by 55.3 percent of respondents ahead of former PM Helen Clark on 10.6 percent, and her successor as Labour leader Phil Goff on just 6.2 percent.

Mr Key told the Herald the "pleasing" result was due to the Government focusing "on the issues that matter to New Zealanders".

The poll of 750 respondents was taken from October 15 to October 28.

None of the smaller parties reached the five percent threshold required to get seats in Parliament without an electorate seat.

Rodney Hide's Act party dropped to one percent, the same as NZ First.

The Government's other support party, the Maori Party, was slightly up on previous polls at three percent.

The Green Party slipped to 4.6 percent, compared with its election result of seven percent.