The opposition, however, isn’t just licking its wounds over lost seats – Chris ‘Chippy’ Hipkins, the former Prime Minister has been hit with a jaw-dropping 10-point nosedive in the popularity stakes.
The poll is the first released since the elections in October. Here’s the lowdown:
National is holding onto its lead with 38 percent, translating to 48 seats
Labour came in with 28 percent, nabbing 35 seats
Greens got greener with 12 percent, securing 15 seats and a bit more room to breathe
ACT finds itself a tad lighter, dropping to 8 percent and 10 seats
NZ First feels the pinch, down to 6 percent and 7 seats
Te Pāti Māori is on the up and up, pulling in 4 percent and holding onto 6 seats
Despite Labour’s victory lap over the extra seat, the real shocker is Hipkins’ preferred prime minister rating plummeting by 10 points, leaving whispers and speculation about his next move.
On the flip side, Christopher Luxon remains the steady ship with 25 percent, while Winston Peters sneaks up with a 1 point increase.
