Support for New Zealand's Labour jumps ahead of election but lags behind National, poll shows

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: New Zealand's new opposition Labour party leader, Jacinda Ardern, speaks during an event held ahead of the national election at the Te Papa Museum in Wellington, New Zealand August 23, 2017. REUTERS/Ross Setford

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Support for New Zealand's opposition Labour party jumped six points, according to a Newshub poll released on Sunday, showing the center-left party lags the governing National party ahead of elections but is threatening its decade-long hold on power. National slipped 1.1 points to 43.3 percent, while Labour hit 39.4 percent, after a change in leadership boosted the party's chances in the Sept. 23 election. Support for the nationalist NZ First Party, which either party will likely need to form a coalition government, fell 2.6 points to 6.6 percent. The New Zealand dollar was largely unchanged after the poll was released, hovering above three-month lows at $0.7154. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Nick Macfie)