PM Chris Hipkins says poll showing four-year low in support for Labour sends ‘a message’

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says he has received the “message” provided by voters in a poll showing Labour has reached a four-year low in support.

“Any poll result like that is disappointing, but it is real, and I take it seriously,” Hipkins said while in Lithuania, overnight Wednesday.

“It is an indication that New Zealanders don’t feel like we’ve been focused on the issues that they want us to be focused on, and I think that’s a message that the whole of the Labour Party will hear.”

Labour returned its lowest result since 2019 in the poll, which showed its support had slumped five points to 31% of voters, placing it five points below the National Party, at 36%.

READ MORE:
* Labour minister Kiri Allan’s future in the balance
* DoC boss raised concern about Kiri Allan after staffer quit Minister’s office
* PM to hose down speculation Labour wants new taxes, in pre-Budget speech

The poll was run by Talbot Mills, Labour’s traditional pollster, for corporate clients from the end of June into July – a particularly turbulent period for the Government.

Stuff had been reporting on concerns within government agencies about Minister Kiritapu Allan’s management of staff, and Cabinet minister Michael Wood resigned suddenly after weeks of scrutiny about undeclared shareholdings.

“I know that the last few months have been a bit messy for the Government. We really need to return our laser-like focus on to the issues that New Zealanders care about,” Hipkins said.

“It is a very sharp reminder to everybody in Government that New Zealanders want to see us focussed on the issues that matter to them. And that is exactly what they will see over the next 90-something days until the election.”

Shortly after a trade mission to China, Hipkins has been travelling in Europe this week, attending the signing of a free trade agreement with the European Union in Brussels, and attending a Nato summit in Lithuania.

However, he decided against travelling to Kyiv, Ukraine, to demonstrate New Zealand’s support for its war effort – as many other world leaders have – as he did not want to spend any more time away from New Zealand.

But the decks have not yet been cleared for his return. Allan has been on leave since the days before Hipkins left, and the prime minister said the two would have a conversation when he returned.

Asked if there had been any developments with Allan in recent days, Hipkins said, “No”.

He said Labour still had time to recover its support before the election.

“When you’re in Government, you obviously have to focus on running the country as well as campaigning for re-election. The closer you get to the election, the more laser-like focused you become on the election campaign.”

He said New Zealanders wanted to see Labour focused on the cost of living, and “creating an environment where they can work hard and get ahead”.

“I’ve been around in politics long enough to know that where a party or a Government looks like it’s not focussed on the issues that New Zealanders care about, the voters will send them a pretty clear message about that.

“I’ve certainly received that message.”