The latest political poll shows an increasing level of concern about the economic outlook in New Zealand.
Recent economic news has dampened the economic mood. Photo: RNZ / Todd Niall
The One News Colmar Brunton poll shows those who are optimistic about the future dropped nine points to 36 percent, while the number of those who are pessimistic rose 10 points to 41 percent, since the last poll in late May.
That compares with 54 percent optimism and 22 percent pessimism the same time last year.
Stories dominating the headlines at the time the poll was taken were the Greek crisis, Labour's claims about the impact of Chinese investors in the Auckland housing market and plummeting dairy prices.
In the party vote, the gap between National and Labour has narrowed slightly.
National is down one point to 47 percent and Labour up one to 32 percent.
The Green Party is up three points to 13 percent, while New Zealand First is steady on 7 percent.
Both Prime Minister John Key and Labour leader, Andrew Little, have dropped in the preferred prime minister stakes.
Mr Key is down four places to 40 percent, while Mr Little is down one place to 8 percent, just ahead of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters on 7 percent.
The poll was conducted between Saturday the 11 July and Wednesday the 15 July, and surveyed 1000 people. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.
