New Zealand Opposition Leader Judith Collins could face a reckoning from her partyroom after another dire polling result.
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A TVNZ-Colmar Brunton poll released on Monday night has just 26 per cent of voters nominating Ms Collins' National as their preferred party.
Ms Collins has crashed further, with a lowly five per cent choosing her as their preferred prime minister.
The defiant conservative has vowed she will never resign from the role, saying "I will be the leader in 2023 and I will be the next prime minister".
"The party's had four leaders in a very short period of time, and (another) is clearly not solution," she said.
TVNZ political editor Jessica Mutch-McKay said Ms Collins' polling numbers were worse than when previous leader Simon Bridges was challenged for the role: both boasted just five per cent personal support, but National's party support was on 29.
"These numbers have created rumbles and a fresh energy for those in some camps who are calling for a leadership change," Ms Mutch-McKay said.
"There are calls for Simon Bridges to take over again and for Christopher Luxon to take on the finance portfolio."
Ms Ardern's Labour remains ascendant in Kiwi politics, a year on from claiming a parliamentary majority with a historic election result.
Labour sits on 43 points, with Ms Ardern the preferred prime minister of 44 per cent of New Zealand voters.
"These are strong numbers that to me speak to confidence in the plan that we have. This has been a really tough couple of months for New Zealanders," she said.
On the poll numbers, Labour would yield its majority and would need to govern in tandem with the Greens, who were steady on eight per cent.
Libertarian party ACT has surged in the wake of fallen National support, up five to 14, with ACT leader David Seymour above Ms Collins in the preferred prime minister stakes.
NEW ZEALAND POLL RESULTS
Labour - 43 (down 3)
National - 26 (up 3)
ACT - 14 (up 5)
Greens - 8 (steady)
NZ First - 3 (up 2)
Maori Party - 2 (steady)
New Conservative - 1 (steady)
TOP - 1 (down 1)
PREFERRED PRIME MINISTER
Jacinda Ardern, Labour - 44 (down 4)
David Seymour, ACT - 11 (up 5)
Judith Collins, National - 5 (down 4)
Christopher Luxon, National - 3
Simon Bridges, National - 2
Poll conducted by TVNZ-Colmar Brunton between September 22-26.
Australian Associated Press
