National and ACT could comfortably govern on the latest Newshub Reid-Research poll, which saw Labour drop to 26.8 percent compared to the previous poll taken at the end of July.

• National: 40.9 percent, up 4.3 points (53 seats)
• Labour: 26.8 percent, down 5.5 points (34 seats)
• Greens: 12.3 percent, up 2.7 points (16 seats)
• ACT: 10.1 percent, down 2 points (13 seats)
• Te Pāti Māori: 3.1 percent, up 0.4 points (4 seats)
• NZ First: 4.6 percent, up 0.5 points
• TOP: 0.7 percent, down 0.8 points

This result would mean 66 seats for National and ACT together, with Winston Peters' NZ First projected not to make it back into Parliament without an electorate seat.

National's leader Christopher Luxon has also gained significantly in popularity, with his preferred prime minister rating rising 6.6 points to 22.5 percent, equal with Labour's Chris Hipkins who dropped 1.5 points.

Preferred prime minister:

• Chris Hipkins: 22.5 percent, down 1.5 points
• Christopher Luxon: 22.5 percent, up 6.6 points
• David Seymour: 7 percent, down 3.9 points
• Winston Peters: 4.6 percent, up 0.3 points
• Chlöe Swarbrick: 3.2 percent, up 1.6 points

The poll surveyed about 1000 eligible voters between 3 and 9 September and was weighted for demographics, with a margin of error of 3.1 percent in the 95 percent confidence interval.

PHOTO: RNZ