The resignation of former Act MP David Garrett after revelations he got a false passport using a dead child's identity, and the ousting of former deputy leader Heather Roy has hurt support for the party, the latest One News Colmar Brunton poll shows.In th
The resignation of former Act MP David Garrett after revelations he got a false passport using a dead child's identity, and the ousting of former deputy leader Heather Roy has hurt support for the party, the latest One News Colmar Brunton poll shows.
In the poll released tonight, Act was down from 2.7% in August to 1.1%.
National had gained popularity since August, with support for Prime Minister John Key and the party up while Labour was down three points to 32.
With National up 5% to 54 in the recent poll on party votes, the gap between the two biggest parties has grown to 22 points.
The Greens were up 1% to 8%.
New Zealand First remained largely unchanged, up from 2.3% to 2.4%, and the Maori Party were stagnant on 2.3%.
On those results, and assuming electorate seats remained unchanged, National could govern alone with 67 seats, Labour would get 40, Greens nine, Maori five and Act, United Future and Progressive one each.
Mr Key was up 7 points to 52 in the preferred prime minister stakes. Labour leader Phil Goff was down one to 8%.
The poll questioned 1007 eligible voters between September 18 and 22. The margin of error was 3.1%,
Mr Garrett resigned from Act and eventually from Parliament after the news broke that he got the fake passport 26 years ago and was discharged without conviction for the offence in 2005.
