(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - New Zealand’s opposition conservatives are well positioned to win next month’s next legislative ballot, according to a poll by DigiPoll published in the New Zealand Herald. 51.4 per cent of respondents would vote for the National party in this year’s election to the House of Representatives, up 1.4 points since August.

The governing Labour party is second with 35.7 per cent, followed by the Greens with 4.9 per cent, New Zealand First with 2.8 per cent, and the Maori Party with 1.9 per cent.

Labour leader Helen 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 John 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.

National is expected to unveil its full economic platform this month. On Oct. 1, Key declared: "The important thing is for New Zealand to have a well-structured economic plan for growth. National’s economic package was carefully put together with a firm eye on the evolving international uncertainty."

The next legislative election will take place on Nov. 8.

Polling Data

If an election were held today, which party would you vote for?

Source: DigiPoll / New Zealand Herald
Methodology: Interviews to 700 New Zealand eligible voters, conducted in Sept. 15 to Sept. 24, 2008. Margin of error is 3.7 per cent.

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