(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - National party leader John Key holds a slight edge as the preferred head of government in New Zealand, according to a poll by Colmar Brunton released by One News. 36 per cent of respondents think the opposition leader would be a better prime minister than incumbent Helen Clark. 33 per cent prefer Labour leader Clark, up two points since July.

Current foreign minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is a distant third, with three 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 Aug. 19, Key claimed that his party will gain the confidence of voters, declaring, "I intend to campaign on trust. I intend to be a prime minister that earns the trust of New Zealanders and I’m going to keep that trust."

The next legislative election must take place by Nov. 15.

Polling Data

Who would you prefer as prime minister?

Source: Colmar Brunton / One News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 New Zealand voters, conducted from Aug. 9 to Aug. 14, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

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