Poll: 40% say NZ in worse shape than on election day

The leaders of the three parties that make up New Zealand's current coalition government, from left: Winston Peters (NZ First), Christopher Luxon (National) and David Seymour (ACT). PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Less than a third of people believe the country is in a better shape than it was before the election, while 40 percent believe it is worse, according to a new poll.

The 1News-Verian poll asked voters: "A year on from the election, do you think the country is in a better shape or worse shape or no different than it was before the election?"

Some 30 percent said the country was in a better shape, 40 percent believed it was in a worse shape and 26 percent did not think there was a difference; 4 percent said they did not know or preferred not to say.

The poll surveyed 1000 eligible voters between 5 and 9 October.

Approximately half the voters were asked the question in a different order: "Do you think the country is in a worse shape or better shape or no different than it was before the election?"

Further results from the 1News-Verian poll, including party vote and preferred prime minister, will be revealed on 1News at Six on Monday night.

In the last poll, taken in August, National was on 38 percent, Labour on 30, the Greens on 11, ACT on 7, New Zealand First on 6, and Te Pāti Māori on 4 percent for the party vote.

At the time, Christopher Luxon enjoyed a five-point boost in the preferred Prime Minister stakes, rising to 28 percent, while Chris Hipkins was on 18 percent.