The Prime Minister's approval ratings have dropped to the lowest level since they were first measured in October 2019, according to a new political poll.
Between January 22 and 26th voters were asked if they approve of the way Prime Minister Ardern is handling her job; 52 per cent said they approve while 37 said they disapprove, the remaining 11 percent said they were unsure.
The numbers make Ardern’s net approval rating the lowest ever at 15 percent; her approval peaked in May 2020 at 80 percent, as the government successfully kept coronavirus outside Aotearoa as the rest of the world battled the pandemic.
As the PM appears to be taking heat for the Omicron outbreak, the poll reveals a recovery of sorts for National under new leader Christopher Luxon. 42 percent of people approve of his performance, while 20 disapprove, 37 percent were undecided or didn't answer.
Undecided voters peg Luxon’s approval at 22 percent, leading the prime minister; it is twice that of former leader Todd Muller who lasted just 50 days in the top job and similar to Judith Collins’ when she first took the helm at National, however her numbers declined during her time as the leader.