(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - More people in New Zealand want to see John Key heading the country's government, according to a poll by Colmar Brunton released by One News. 38 per cent of respondents pick the National leader as their preferred prime minister, up nine points since April.

Labour leader and prime minister Helen Clark is second with 27 per cent—down 10 points in a month—followed by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters with just two per cent.

Clark has acted as New Zealand's prime minister since December 1999. In November 2006, Don Brash—who had served as National's leader since October 2003—announced his resignation and was substituted by finance spokesman Key.

In the September 2005 ballot, Labour elected 50 lawmakers to the 121-seat House of Representatives, and assembled a coalition government with the Progressives. United Future and New Zealand First agreed to support the administration in confidence and supply votes for three years. National finished second, with 48 legislators.

On May 17, Key criticized the government's new budget for allegedly benefiting big businesses at the expense of workers. The National party leader expressed dissatisfaction with the document, declaring, "That was (finance minister) Michael Cullen's eighth budget and they don't get any better." Clark responded to Key's statement, saying, "That was just another bankrupt Tory speech for a leader who would bankrupt New Zealand."

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